Winter 2022Striking stained glass window restored and reinstalled in Rochdale Town Hall

A striking stained glass window featuring Oliver Cromwell has been reinstalled in Rochdale Town Hall after six months of restoration. The impressive Cromwell window in the Great Hall was removed in April and reinstalled in October after receiving a protective glaze.

The stained-glass window, which depicts Oliver Cromwell centrally between Charles I and Charles II, has been conserved by York Glaziers Trust under the direction of Professor Sarah Brown. The trust looks after historic buildings throughout the UK, but is particularly known for its work to care for and conserve the stained glass in the world famous York Minster.

Restorers worked on the window, using high-definition binocular microscopes to clean the glass with a mixture of deionised water, ethanol and acetone on cotton swabs before repairing it using edge bonding where necessary.

Heavily discoloured or brittle bonds were also rebonded whilst any large spreading or loose cracks were stabilised using epoxy resin. The original 19th century lead has been maintained and kept intact where possible.

Made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne of London, the portraits in the Great Hall date back to when the town hall was built in 1871. They form part of a continuous depiction of the line of rule in the hall.

The work comes as part of a multi-million pound restoration of the town hall, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.