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Considers the works of Somerset stained glass design and manufacturing firm Horwood brothers, the society in which the makers lived and the people for whom they worked.
Horwood Brothers' first window was made in 1852 and the firm continued for just over forty years. Most of their work is in Somerset and Wiltshire but may also be found across England, Wales and Ireland. They also obtained commissions in Australia, Gibraltar, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Like many other firms they would sometimes rely on existing artwork for the basis of their designs. This aspect has been thoroughly researched, and some forty examples have been identified.
Harry Horwood, the second of the three brothers, emigrated to Canada, close to the border with the United States and was followed in the business by one of his sons. A chapter by David E Martin covers their work across the Atlantic. There is a comprehensive gazetteer of the work of the British firm, enabling readers to explore their windows for themselves.
Horwood Brothers' first window was made in 1852 and the firm continued for just over forty years. Most of their work is in Somerset and Wiltshire but may also be found across England, Wales and Ireland. They also obtained commissions in Australia, Gibraltar, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Like many other firms they would sometimes rely on existing artwork for the basis of their designs. This aspect has been thoroughly researched, and some forty examples have been identified.
Harry Horwood, the second of the three brothers, emigrated to Canada, close to the border with the United States and was followed in the business by one of his sons. A chapter by David E Martin covers their work across the Atlantic. There is a comprehensive gazetteer of the work of the British firm, enabling readers to explore their windows for themselves.
Price: $65.00
Pages: 136
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Inc.
Imprint: Lutterworth Press
Publication Date:
26 November 2026
Trim Size: 10.00 X 7.44 in
ISBN: 9780718898540
Format: Hardcover
BISACs:
ARCHITECTURE / General, Architecture, ART / History / General, ARCHITECTURE / Buildings / Religious, History of art
Jeff Hopewell presents a fascinating rediscovery of provincial Victorian stained-glass artists who proved anything but provincial, sending glass from Somerset as far as Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka before expanding a business across the Atlantic. Not only is his study beautifully-illustrated, but it is a fascinating piece of social history, drawing in the benevolent Tractarian clergy and distinguished architects who helped the sons of a West-Country farm labourer to escape poverty and obscurity to reveal their talents on an international scale.
Jeff Hopewell's study of the Horwood Brothers is a most welcome addition to his explorations of Victorian stained glass. Many illustrations in color enable an instant appreciation of the studio's work. This is not simply a biography, but a study of context, influences, associations, commissions, and the vital interaction of the patron and site. Solid information is conveyed with meticulous documentation. All will treasure Hopewell's chapter on "Artists or Artisans: The Horwood Brothers and Their Sources," exploring contemporary attitudes towards originality. We are deeply grateful for his including a Gazetteer.
Jeff Hopewell's clear, well researched narrative, high-quality illustrations and comprehensive gazetteer and will appeal to anyone seriously interested in Victorian stained glass. This book demonstrates the global reach of a provincial firm and sheds new light on the Horwood's relationship to key figures such as J. R. Clayton. Hopewell's analysis intersects with key areas of interest: the creative reuse of prints, philanthropy, the emergence of art schools and the cultural impetus given to ecclesiastical art by ecclesiology. Just as important, this book demonstrates that a nuanced understanding of Victorian stained glass must include research such as this on enterprising provincial firms.
Jeff Hopewell has uncovered a rich strange story of sons of Somerset farm-workers, trained by Anglican clergy to make stained glass, whose windows ornament churches across Britain and the Empire. He has not just rediscovered the story but also identified sources of the designs, blending Victorian social, industrial and art history.
Jeff Hopewell's study of the Horwood Brothers is a most welcome addition to his explorations of Victorian stained glass. Many illustrations in color enable an instant appreciation of the studio's work. This is not simply a biography, but a study of context, influences, associations, commissions, and the vital interaction of the patron and site. Solid information is conveyed with meticulous documentation. All will treasure Hopewell's chapter on "Artists or Artisans: The Horwood Brothers and Their Sources," exploring contemporary attitudes towards originality. We are deeply grateful for his including a Gazetteer.
Jeff Hopewell's clear, well researched narrative, high-quality illustrations and comprehensive gazetteer and will appeal to anyone seriously interested in Victorian stained glass. This book demonstrates the global reach of a provincial firm and sheds new light on the Horwood's relationship to key figures such as J. R. Clayton. Hopewell's analysis intersects with key areas of interest: the creative reuse of prints, philanthropy, the emergence of art schools and the cultural impetus given to ecclesiastical art by ecclesiology. Just as important, this book demonstrates that a nuanced understanding of Victorian stained glass must include research such as this on enterprising provincial firms.
Jeff Hopewell has uncovered a rich strange story of sons of Somerset farm-workers, trained by Anglican clergy to make stained glass, whose windows ornament churches across Britain and the Empire. He has not just rediscovered the story but also identified sources of the designs, blending Victorian social, industrial and art history.