Trail celebrates life of stained glass creator

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THE WORK of one of Britain's finest creators of stained glass windows is to be celebrated in Evesham.

Offenham born Frederick Preedy designed more than 60 windows in ten Vale churches, all of which can be seen in a new trail which takes people around them.

The trail is shown in a leaflet written by Preedy enthusiasts John Grove and Zsuzsanna Dosa.

It was launched at a special ceremony in All Saints Church last night (Thursday) and is now available in all the main Anglican Churches and at tourist information centres.

Preedy who also built and restored around 40 churches in Herefordshire and Worcestershire from 1850 to 1880 is thought to have made 400 stained glass windows for churches all over the country.

But it was in the Vale where he really excelled especially in Offenham, where he was born, and Fladbury where he grew up.

Preedy designed most of the stained glass of All Saints, Evesham, which he also restored, some windows in St Lawrence's Church and was completely responsible for the Union Workhouse chapel, now the Hospital Pharmacy. He also did plenty of work in Church Lench, Weston sub Edge, and Harvington.

The leaflet has a motoring map indicating the location of the ten churches, and brief details of these churches alongside a description of Preedy’s legacy are given.

It is hoped the trail will become a major tourist attraction and eventually a Frederick Preedy archive and research centre can be set up.

The ten churches in the trail are:

1. All Saints, Evesham

2. St. Lawrence, Evesham

3. Union Workhouse Chapel, Evesham   

4. All Saints, Church Lench and Church Lench First School

5. St. Andrew’s, Cleeve Prior

6. St. John the Baptist, Fladbury and Fladbury First School 

7. St. James the Great, Harvington

8. St. Mary and St. Milburgh, Offenham

9. St. Peter’s, Rous Lench

10. St. Lawrence, Weston sub Edge