JONAH JONES’S GLASS – RATCLIFFE COLLEGE

The stained glass and dalle de verre (slab glass) at Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire, made in 1960–62, is the largest ensemble of glass by Jonah anywhere. The main cupola and side lights of the chapel are adorned with dalle de verre, while the Lady Chapel has exquisite stained glass windows. The crowning glory of the whole building, however, is the great north-east window. As an entire composition it is spectacular, and it is full of eye-catching detail.

Originally it was planned to have three such windows in the chapel. Speaking before the project was scaled back, Jonah said: “I think of it as my life’s work[…] There at Ratcliffe, I felt life as a permanent thanksgiving. And that was my theme for these windows.” The north-east window was inspired by the Benedicite passage in the Book of Daniel, where all created things are exhorted to praise the Lord. It radiates a great joy in life and a deep Christian faith – surely one of Jonah’s single greatest pieces of work.

For the small Emery Chapel in another part of the school Jonah also made a set of stained-glass windows depicting the life of Christ.

GWYDR JONAH JONES – COLEG RATCLIFFE

Y ffenestri lliw a’r dalle de verre (gwydr slab) yng Ngholeg Ratcliffe, Swydd Caerlŷr, a wnaethpwyd ym 1960–62, yw’r casgliad mwyaf o wydr gan Jonah yn unman. Addurnir y gromen fawr a ffenestri ochrol y capel gan dalle de verre, tra bod ffenestri lliw cain yng Nghapel y Forwyn Fair. Ond prif ogoniant y capel cyfan yw’r ffenestr ogledd-ddwyrain enfawr. Fel cyfansoddiad cyflawn mae’n drawiadol, ac mae’n llawn o fanylion hynod.

Bwriadwyd yn wreiddiol codi tair ffenestr debyg yn y capel. Dywedodd Jonah cyn i’r prosiect gael ei leihau: “I think of it as my life’s work[…] There at Ratcliffe, I felt life as a permanent thanksgiving. And that was my theme for these windows.” Ysbrydolwyd y ffenestr ogledd-ddwyrain gan yr adnodau Benedicite yn Llyfr Daniel, lle annogir holl greadigaeth i glodfori’r Arglwydd. Mae’n pelydru llawenydd mawr mewn bywyd a ffydd Gristnogol ddofn – yn ddiau un o’r darnau unigol mwyaf mawreddog gan Jonah.

Gwnaeth Jonah set o ffenestri lliw yn dangos bywyd Crist ar gyfer y Capel Emery bach mewn rhan wahanol o’r ysgol.