One of the world's rarest collection of stained glass windows has been restored to its former glory after 200 years.
More than 400 colour panels dating back to the 16th century were carefully removed from the famous Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire, and painstakingly cleaned for the historic restoration.
Unlike Coventry Cathedral located 30 miles away, Lichfield was spared during WW2 by the Luftwaffe, who used its three spires as a navigational aid.
If the enemy airmen reached the cathedral, built in 1195, they knew they were at the point of no return in terms of fuel limit.
Stunning 16th-century stained glass windows that survived the Blitz because Luftwaffe were ordered not to bomb the cathedral are restored to their former glory
Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire was spared by the Nazis because its trio of spires was a useful landmark
Over 400 window panels were painstakingly removed during the cleaning and restoration process, which cost £3m
The original windows were bought from a local landowner for just £100 and were last restored 200 years ago
The cathedral boasts one of the rarest collection of medieval glass windows in the world
By Joey Millar For Mailonline
27 January 2016
Daily Mail
One of the world's rarest collection of stained glass windows has been restored to its former glory after 200 years.
More than 400 colour panels dating back to the 16th century were carefully removed from the famous Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire, and painstakingly cleaned for the historic restoration.
Unlike Coventry Cathedral located 30 miles away, Lichfield was spared during WW2 by the Luftwaffe, who used its three spires as a navigational aid.
If the enemy airmen reached the cathedral, built in 1195, they knew they were at the point of no return in terms of fuel limit.
Lichfield Cathedral was spared by the Luftwaffe during WW2 because they used the spires as navigational aids
The stained glass windows at the Staffordshire cathedral have been cleaned for the first time in 200 years, restoring its stunning display
The cathedral was also spared by King Henry VIII, who had abbeys and monasteries destroyed during the Reformation.
His 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' between 1536 and 1541 saw hundreds of Catholic monasteries, convents, priories, churches and friaries disbanded, with their valuables seized.
The glass has now been re-installed, creating a stunning display that has not been witnessed by any living person.
Lichfield's windows were originally bought from a local landowner for £100 around 200 years ago.
He had it taken from a Belgian monastery which had fallen into disrepair and shipped it back to England.
It also survived a siege during the English Civil War, when it was surrounded by a ditch and used as a fortress.
Due to its incredibly luck in surviving so many threats, the windows now make up one of the rarest and most important collections of medieval stained glass windows in the world.
Lichfield's recognisable spires (pictured top) were used as navigational aids by Luftwaffe airmen during WW2 - although its real value lies in its restored stained glass windows
The windows were restored when it was noticed that the walls around them were crumbling and in danger of collapse
Chris Gary, the events manager at Lichfield Cathedral, said: 'Several years ago the stone work was in a danger of crumbling which could have resulted in the windows possibly falling out.
'So the glass was taken out to be cleaned and bounded back together.
'It was fitted in a new zinc housing and then brought back and re-installed inside isothermic glass to make it double glazing.
'It is a stunning result and it makes a huge difference in the colour because there was so much grime on them that had built up over the years.
'It really is staggering.'
Lichfield's windows were originally bought from a local landowner for a bargain £100 after it had been taken from a Belgian monastery which had fallen into disrepair
The cathedral was spared by King Henry VIII, who had abbeys and monasteries destroyed during the Reformation
Mr Gray added: 'The collection originated from the Abbey of Herkenrode in Belgium which was stripped of its monastic responsibility during the Napoleonic Wars.
'It fell into disrepair and was going to be knocked down when a landed gentry from this area happened to be over there and saw all this glass and decided to buy it and have it shipped over to England.
'We think the cathedral paid £100 for it which was quite a significant sum of money in those days.
'But today the windows are priceless.
'They are some of the most important medieval windows in existence because there are so few of them around anymore.'
The restoration of the cathedral's windows, which were originally purchased for £100 from a local landowner cost £3m
Read more: Lichfield Cathedral's stunning stained glass windows left by Nazi's Luftwafe | Daily Mail Online
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More than 400 colour panels dating back to the 16th century were carefully removed from the famous Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire, and painstakingly cleaned for the historic restoration.
Unlike Coventry Cathedral located 30 miles away, Lichfield was spared during WW2 by the Luftwaffe, who used its three spires as a navigational aid.
If the enemy airmen reached the cathedral, built in 1195, they knew they were at the point of no return in terms of fuel limit.
Stunning 16th-century stained glass windows that survived the Blitz because Luftwaffe were ordered not to bomb the cathedral are restored to their former glory
Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire was spared by the Nazis because its trio of spires was a useful landmark
Over 400 window panels were painstakingly removed during the cleaning and restoration process, which cost £3m
The original windows were bought from a local landowner for just £100 and were last restored 200 years ago
The cathedral boasts one of the rarest collection of medieval glass windows in the world
By Joey Millar For Mailonline
27 January 2016
Daily Mail
One of the world's rarest collection of stained glass windows has been restored to its former glory after 200 years.
More than 400 colour panels dating back to the 16th century were carefully removed from the famous Lady Chapel at Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire, and painstakingly cleaned for the historic restoration.
Unlike Coventry Cathedral located 30 miles away, Lichfield was spared during WW2 by the Luftwaffe, who used its three spires as a navigational aid.
If the enemy airmen reached the cathedral, built in 1195, they knew they were at the point of no return in terms of fuel limit.
Lichfield Cathedral was spared by the Luftwaffe during WW2 because they used the spires as navigational aids
The stained glass windows at the Staffordshire cathedral have been cleaned for the first time in 200 years, restoring its stunning display
The cathedral was also spared by King Henry VIII, who had abbeys and monasteries destroyed during the Reformation.
His 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' between 1536 and 1541 saw hundreds of Catholic monasteries, convents, priories, churches and friaries disbanded, with their valuables seized.
The glass has now been re-installed, creating a stunning display that has not been witnessed by any living person.
Lichfield's windows were originally bought from a local landowner for £100 around 200 years ago.
He had it taken from a Belgian monastery which had fallen into disrepair and shipped it back to England.
It also survived a siege during the English Civil War, when it was surrounded by a ditch and used as a fortress.
Due to its incredibly luck in surviving so many threats, the windows now make up one of the rarest and most important collections of medieval stained glass windows in the world.
Lichfield's recognisable spires (pictured top) were used as navigational aids by Luftwaffe airmen during WW2 - although its real value lies in its restored stained glass windows
The windows were restored when it was noticed that the walls around them were crumbling and in danger of collapse
Chris Gary, the events manager at Lichfield Cathedral, said: 'Several years ago the stone work was in a danger of crumbling which could have resulted in the windows possibly falling out.
'So the glass was taken out to be cleaned and bounded back together.
'It was fitted in a new zinc housing and then brought back and re-installed inside isothermic glass to make it double glazing.
'It is a stunning result and it makes a huge difference in the colour because there was so much grime on them that had built up over the years.
'It really is staggering.'
Lichfield's windows were originally bought from a local landowner for a bargain £100 after it had been taken from a Belgian monastery which had fallen into disrepair
The cathedral was spared by King Henry VIII, who had abbeys and monasteries destroyed during the Reformation
Mr Gray added: 'The collection originated from the Abbey of Herkenrode in Belgium which was stripped of its monastic responsibility during the Napoleonic Wars.
'It fell into disrepair and was going to be knocked down when a landed gentry from this area happened to be over there and saw all this glass and decided to buy it and have it shipped over to England.
'We think the cathedral paid £100 for it which was quite a significant sum of money in those days.
'But today the windows are priceless.
'They are some of the most important medieval windows in existence because there are so few of them around anymore.'
The restoration of the cathedral's windows, which were originally purchased for £100 from a local landowner cost £3m
Read more: Lichfield Cathedral's stunning stained glass windows left by Nazi's Luftwafe | Daily Mail Online
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