St George’s Church, Beckenham, The East windows – a study

Introduction

The East windows – a set of five – were designed and made by Thomas Freeth. They replace the Victorian windows that were damaged in the Second World War.

Useful websites:
https://stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/history/windows/
https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/search/actor:freeth-thomas-19121994
Also see the leaflet – The Freeth Windows

The five windows form a set which may be interpreted in many ways but the approach taken in the following descriptions is that of the course of time
from creation to the end times.

Connections are made backward in time with significant characters from history and also forward with judgement and the last days.

There are five windows each with three sections.
The central figure in each is Christ.

Moving from south to north the central figure is:
1. Christ, the second Adam
2. Christ, the prophet
3. Christ the Great High priest
4. Christ, the King
5. Christ, the Judge.

The faces are in a Byzantine style and each window has one or two predominant colours.

After his death Jesus appeared to his disciples. The final time that they saw him was at the Ascension
(Matthew 28.16 – 20).

With a red and green background, recognised at his Ascension, the Kingship of Christ is recognised at his Ascension. This is shown by the crown worn and the sceptre held by Christ, the central figure, but the mark of the nails is visible. The figures on either side of Christ are both David, Jesus’ ancestor (Matthew 1. 1; Luke 2. 4).

On one side is the shepherd boy with a sheep on his shoulders, a sling hanging at his waist and the head of Goliath, complete with bloody wound on his forehead, at his feet. On the other David as an older man and dressed as a king stands with his harp. David is understood to be the archetypal good king.

Green and red are the colours that feature in the tracery.