Latest news with #MargaretWindow
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Mystery of century-old stained glass, sent in anonymous package to abbey, solved
A mystery surrounding stained-glass window fragments anonymously returned to a historic Scottish abbey has been solved. In November 2020, a box containing 49 shards arrived at the Abbey Church, part of 950-year-old Dunfermline Abbey. The box was addressed to the fictitious 'Bob Brewse'. The package, opened by Reverend Dr MaryAnn Rennie, held the fragments wrapped in a copy of the Fife and Kinross Extra newspaper, dated February 12, 2005. A typewritten note was also inside, sent from an anonymous person who identified themselves only as 'CEEPS'. They explained that they had discovered the glass near scaffolding two decades prior and felt remorse for taking it. 'I wrapped it up in paper to protect it but never had the chance to return it,' they wrote. 'Unsure if was new glass going in or old coming out. 'I felt a bit guilty taking it and hope it will get used. Regards, CEEPS.' The discovery baffled the abbey's minister and congregation, who were unable to match the fragments to any of the church's 10 intact stained-glass windows. However, experts have now identified the origin of the mysterious pieces, saying they were originally part of the church's Margaret Window. The window was designed by Alexander Strachan and is nearly a century old, dating from 1932. It shows the marriage of Queen Margaret and King Malcolm Canmore, which took place around 1070. Dr Rennie turned to Professor Michael Penman, Professor of History at the University of Stirling, for help in 2023, after appeals for information on social media proved fruitless. Professor Penman looked at old Kirk Session records dating back to the early 1980s to work out when damage was caused to stained glass windows at the Abbey Church or when repairs were made. He also enlisted the help of his friend, scientist Dr Craig Kennedy of the Institute for Sustainable Building Design at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Dr Kennedy tested the shards and fragments using the university's electron microscopy facility and x-ray fluorescence to identify the elements present, which in turn revealed the colour of the glass and where it came from. The ingredients used to make the glass – lead, potassium, arsenic and sulphur – meant Dr Kennedy was able to determine that it was made between the 1870s and the 1930s. Vivienne Kelly, a PhD student supervised by Dr Kennedy and an expert stained-glass conservator who specialises in 19th and 20th century glass, was also involved. The Glasgow School of Art graduate focused on studying four large pieces to identify the imagery. She determined that they depicted an angel's wing, the knotwork hem of a noble's robe, the hair of an angel and a thistle motif that was repeatedly used in a window design. Ms Kelly visited the Abbey Church, built in 1821 in the Fife town, and eventually worked out that the stained-glass pieces were originally part of the Margaret Window in the south transept. She could see where the glass had been replaced as the colour and texture of the material used was slightly different to the original pieces. Dr Rennie said: 'We are delighted that the mystery of where this glass originally came from has finally been unravelled. 'We still have no idea who CEEPS is and why they decided to return it to the abbey when they did, but we are grateful.' Ms Kelly said her 'best guess' is the Margaret Window was struck and damaged by a scaffolding pole during refurbishment work in the late 1990s. She added: 'But unless CEEPS comes forward, the full circumstances behind the disappearance and reappearance of the glass will remain an intriguing part of the abbey's history.' Meanwhile, the name 'Bob Brewse' is understood to be a playful reference to King Robert the Bruce, whose remains are interred in the church. The Abbey Church is facing a repair bill of about £4 million to ensure it remains wind and watertight and a further £4 million to upgrade its facilities, and has launched a fundraising appeal. The stained glass pieces will be on display at an exhibition examining the role of the church in the local community and its history, which runs at Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries from March 22 to April 6.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Experts unravel Dunfermline Abbey's stained glass mystery
Fragments of stained glass taken from an abbey before being returned anonymously more than 20 years later have been matched with the window they once belonged box - containing 49 pieces of coloured glass - was delivered to 950-year-old Dunfermline Abbey in November was also a typewritten note explaining how the glass was in a pile outside the building and the person had felt "a bit guilty" about taking have now used a variety of techniques, including studying the materials used to make the glass, to show they originated from the abbey's Margaret Window. Solving the mystery had been complicated by the fact that all 10 of the site's stained glass windows were fully intact when the parcel arrived in now believe the fragments were left on the ground after part of the window was accidently broken in the 1990s. The box arrived marked for the attention of Bob Brewse - believed to be a play on the name of King Robert Bruce, whose remains are buried at the accompanying note said: "Hello there, I am returning some stained glass that I found over 20 years ago. "It was in a small pile below the scaffold that was erected by the Abbey (near footpath facing west.)"The note went on: "I wrapped it up in paper to protect it but never had the chance to return it. Unsure if it was new glass going in or old coming out."I felt a bit guilty taking it and hope it will get used. Regards, CEEPS."The identity of Ceeps remains a mystery. Experts from the University of Stirling, Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and Glasgow School of Art uncovered clues about the studied kirk session records going back to the 1980s to find mention of damage and glass was analysed and it was found to contain lead, potassium, arsenic and sulphur, materials used to make stained glass between the 1870s and Margaret Window was made in 1932 and designed by Edinburgh artist Alexander Strachan. It depicts the marriage of Queen Margaret and King Malcolm Canmore in Dunfermline in Kelly, a PhD student involved in the research, said the window may have been accidently damaged by a scaffolding pole during refurbishment work in the late minister Rev Dr MaryAnn Rennie said: "We are delighted that the mystery of where this glass originally came from has finally been unravelled."We still have no idea who Ceeps is and why they decided to return it to the abbey when they did, but we are grateful."
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Mystery of stained glass shards uncovered
The mystery of a box of stained glass that turned up at a church in Fife in Scotland has now been solved.A box of 49 stained glass pieces wrapped in newspaper from 2005 were left outside Dunfermline Abbey, alongside a typewritten note with no name, back in November church's parish minister and the congregation were left confused as to which window the glass originally belonged experts have now solved the mystery, using a combination of science, and history, and have discovered that the shards were originally part of the Margaret Window. What did the mysterious note say? The mysterious note left alongside the pieces read: "Hello there, I am returning some stained glass that I found over 20 years ago. It was in a small pile below the scaffold that was erected by the Abbey (near footpath facing west)."I wrapped it up in paper to protect it but never had the chance to return it. Unsure if was new glass going in or old coming out."I felt a bit guilty taking it and hope it will get used. Regards, CEEPS".Dr Rennie said: "We are delighted that the mystery of where this glass originally came from has finally been unravelled."We still have no idea who CEEPS is and why they decided to return it to the abbey when they did, but we are grateful." How did they solve the mystery of the stained glass? The church's parish minister Rev Dr MaryAnn Rennie got in touch with Professor Michael Penman, a professor of history at the University of Stirling, for looked at old historical records to see when there was damage or repair work to the church to help narrow things Penman also asked his friend, a scientist named Dr Craig Kennedy from the Institute for Sustainable Building Design at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh for help, alongside stained glass expert and PhD student Vivienne Kennedy tested the stained glass shards using an electron microscope and x-ray fluorescence to identify the elements in the meant the scientists could roughly work out the age of the glass based on the materials it was made from - lead, potassium, arsenic and this, they figured out that the glass was made between the 1870s and the 1930s. Vivienne Kelly then visited the Abbey Church, and worked out that the stained-glass pieces were originally part of the Margaret Window in the south part of the said she could see where the glass had been replaced as the colour and texture of the material used was slightly different to the original the researchers worked out that the stained glass window dated back to 1932 and was designed by Alexander Strachan. It shows the marriage of Queen Margaret and King Malcolm for what happened, Ms Kelly said her "best guess" is the Margaret Window was struck and damaged by a scaffolding pole during refurbishment work in the late added: "But unless CEEPS comes forward, the full circumstances behind the disappearance and reappearance of the glass will remain an intriguing part of the abbey's history."
