Fig. 1. John Grove and Zsuzsanna Dosa at the launch.
The work of the Victorian church architect and designer of stained glass Frederick Preedy (1820–98) has been celebrated by the launch of a ‘Preedy Trail’ covering ten Worcestershire churches. [Fig. 1] Free copies of the attractively produced leaflet, which includes a brief description of the artist’s life and a map of places to visit, are available from participating churches and the Almonry Museum and Heritage Centre, Abbey Gate, Evesham. [Fig. 2]
Fig. 2. The ‘Preedy Trail’ leaflet.
The initiative was the brainchild of local historians John Grove and Zsuzsanna Dosa, and is supported by Evesham town council and the Evesham Market Town Partnership. The launch was held at the church of All Saints in Evesham, which has a rich collection of nineteenth-century stained glass, including work by Preedy; Capronnier; Heaton, Butler & Bayne; Henry Holiday (for Powell & Sons); and Shrigley & Hunt. Speakers included Cllr James Bulman (the Mayor of Evesham), the Revd Richard Court (Rural Dean of Evesham), and David Hawkins (chair of the House of Laity in the Worcester diocese).
Frederick Preedy is credited with about 400 windows in over 200 churches stretching from North Yorkshire to Devon. His first was at Church Lench in Worcestershire.
Further Reading
Michael Kerney, The Stained Glass of Frederick Preedy (1820-1898), London: Ecclesiological Society, 2001, ISBN: 1 902653386
