Restoration of a Victorian stained glass window

St Francis Xavier's Church is a Grade II* listed Roman Catholic church in Liverpool, Merseyside. During the bombing of Liverpool in the Second World War a Victorian stained glass window depicting St Ignatius Loyola was smashed in the church. Some of the pieces were kept safe in the hope that one day they would be found and the window restored.

The project focused on the reconstruction and display of the stained glass window. It involved the restoration of the original glass plus the introduction of new design to fill in the missing pieces. Since the original windows were installed in the 1850s there have been many additions. The restoration and display of this stained glass is the latest addition to the church’s stained glass history.

A variety of people from the local area engaged with the interesting heritage of this project, including schools and community groups. There were also a number of activities, including the creation of panels describing the history of the church, the gathering of oral histories and war stories, and workshops on stained glass making and design. The restored glass and related war stories are part of a permanent exhibition, accessible to all visitors.