Thomas Willement

author

Thomas Willement

1786–1871

Best known as a pioneer of Britain’s Gothic Revival, he helped bring stained glass back to life in the 19th century. His windows and heraldic designs appeared in churches, great houses, and royal commissions, earning him the nickname “the father of Victorian stained glass.”

1 Audiobook

A concise account of the principal works in stained glass that have been executed by Thomas Willement of London, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

A concise account of the principal works in stained glass that have been executed by Thomas Willement of London, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

by Thomas Willement

About the author

Thomas Willement was an English stained-glass artist and writer on heraldry, born on July 18, 1786, and active for more than fifty years. He built a reputation at a time when medieval methods of making stained glass were being rediscovered, and he became one of the leading figures in that revival.

His career included important royal and aristocratic work. He served as Heraldic Artist to George IV and later as Artist in Stained Glass to Queen Victoria, and his commissions included work for places such as St George’s Chapel, Windsor, Hampton Court, and many churches and country houses across Britain.

Willement was also known as an antiquary and author, not just a designer and craftsman. Later in life he moved to Faversham in Kent, where he continued his work before retiring; he died there on March 10, 1871. Today he is remembered as a key early force in Victorian stained glass and in the wider Gothic Revival.