Page 13 - Real Rochdale Issue 16 Winter 2022

Striking 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 cracks were stabilised using epoxy resin.
conserve the stained glass in the world famous The original 19th century lead has been
York Minster. maintained and kept intact where possible.

Restorers worked on the window, using Made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne of London,
high-definition binocular microscopes to clean the portraits in the Great Hall date back to
the glass with a mixture of deionised water, when the town hall was built in 1871. They
ethanol and acetone on cotton swabs before form part of a continuous depiction of the line
repairing it using edge bonding where of rule in the hall.
necessary.
The work comes as part of a multi-million
Heavily discoloured or brittle bonds were also pound restoration of the town hall, supported
rebonded whilst any large spreading or loose by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2022 12 13 REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2022