PB Stained Glass are specialist manufacturers of stained glass. They make bespoke pieces of high quality stained glass, including domestic stained glass. Whether you are looking for stained glass for your home, workplace or school, PB Stained Glass make all types of stained glass projects using the best of traditional and modern techniques.
Stained glass has a long history in Europe. It has been in use for decoration since ancient times. In the ancient world, the Egyptians, and later the Romans, used coloured glass to make small decorative objects which were used as home decorations. Commonly, this included objects like drinking cups and vases.
By the 5th century, at the start of a period many historians call the Dark Ages, some churches in Europe had stained glass windows. These were made from pieces of coloured glass which were set in wooden frames, with slices of a soft rock called alabaster between the different colours of glass. For a long time, these stained glass windows were just used to make patterns of light and colour. Some of the stained glass projects of the period were very large. The first recorded stained glass window in Britain was in 675 AD, when French workmen came over to the North of England to install a large stained glass window at Monkwearmouth in Sunderland.
By the 11th and 12th centuries, the period in the Middle Ages that brought the Norman Conquest and big changes to England, stained glass windows took on a new importance. Churches built in the Gothic and Romanesque styles needed more windows, which meant much more glass, and the designers used the opportunity to create stunning scenes. They used the stained glass to tell stories. Sometimes they were Bible stories, or the faces of saints, or other religious themes. A common style was to show “Judgement Day”. These were not only about decoration, but a way of teaching the congregation important religious doctrines. Why was this necessary? This was the period before the Reformation, so the only form of Christianity in Britain was the Roman Catholic Church, which did all teaching in Latin. For many members of congregations who could not speak Latin, the stained glass windows were a way of learning the key doctrines of their religion.
The Reformation interrupted the role of stained glass in religious buildings, as many stained glass windows in churches and monasteries were smashed during Henry VIII’s religious changes. However, by the 19th century there was a renewed interest in medieval architecture. Stained glass windows became used in churches, town halls and large stately mansions. To this day, stained glass remains a great way of showing a traditional style in many architectural projects.
For all your stained glass needs, PB Stained Glass are the experts who can produce exactly what you need. They have produced high quality stained glass work for small individual projects, larger institutions, and entire commercial projects. Whether you have a small or large project in mind, use the links on the website to contact the team. You can also find a portfolio of past work on the website.