"There are few countries more rich in stained glass than England. Under the infinitely variable conditions of the northern sky, hues intensify or merge, faces and figures come into prominence or fade, and scenes are created or lost. In the Middle Ages glass was regarded as magical and even today it may be a source of inspiration." "From the very first documentary evidence in AD 680, when, according to Bede, Benedict Biscop, Bishop of Jarrow and Monkwearmouth, 'sent messengers into Gaul, to fetch makers of glass thence, that ... they might glaze the windows of the church, and the cloister, and the refectory', right up to the present day, Stained Glass in England provides a visually stunning and evocative account of all aspects of stained glass, including the different qualities, techniques, methods of conservation and architectural settings." "When this book was first published in 1981 it was greeted by Sir John Betjeman as 'the first I have found to cover the subject fairly'. This new edition has been completely revised and updated. It is fully illustrated throughout and includes thirty-two pages of colour reproductions. The extensive gazetteer provides a record of sites throughout England, from the humblest parish churches to the great cathedrals, where interesting examples of stained glass are to be found."--Jacket.