The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

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Douglas Strachan is arguably Scotland’s finest stained glass artist. He is responsible for a number of war memorials including the stained glass in the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh castle.

He had windows in five buildings in London but unfortunately four of them were destroyed in the blitz. The remaining windows are in St Andrew’s United Reform Church, Frognal Lane, Hampstead. Of the eight windows by Strachan in this church, two of them form the church’s war memorial and this can be seen at:

http://www.andrewsfrog.net/windows_info.php

and

http://www.andrewsfrog.net/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1297366595&archive=&start_from=&ucat=6

A recent planning application was put in to build a block of flats next door to the church which would have carried a risk of subsidence to the church but more importantly also blocked most of the light. You will appreciate that light streaming through is an essential part of the design of stained glass windows.

An objection to planning was raised by the church and local residents. Letters of objection were written by individuals (including myself) and organisations including the Scottish Stained Glass Symposium and the War Memorials Trust. We were relieved to hear that planning was refused on 17th March.

My apologies that I only found out about this at the last moment and did not have time to inform forum members before the planning appeal.

This memorial is not listed on UKNIWM, I will send them details.

Threats to war memorials come from developers, complacency and from ignorance or a lack of understanding well as the more obvious weather, vandals and thieves. We must all keep alert.

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