Wednesday 20 November 2019

The face of Owini


Here we have a stained-glass window (from Clun, in Shropshire) showing two Staffordshire saints - St Chad on the left (holding a model of Lichfield Cathedral) and Saint Owini, or Owen, on his right.
Saint Owini doesn't seem to have been too remarkable, but he was the monk who acted as St Chad's right-hand man - and St Chad is significant as the man who brought Christianity to 'godless' Staffordshire in the eighth century.

You'll notice in this scene that Saint Owini gets more of the attention than Saint Chad - which is odd. However, it turns out that the face of St Owini is also that of the Rev Charles Warner, the clergyman who paid for this window. Which may explain that

Tuesday 5 November 2019

One Smithfield


Not sure what to make of this horror which you will find at the 'gateway' to Hanley, Stoke on Trent's commercial centre.  Basically an office-block managed by the council, it is nattily, if boringly, called 'One, Smithfield'.
Is it a happy burst of colour in a very uninspiring spot?  Or a desperate attempt to introduce 'fun' to this grey, grey district?