Horsted Keynes village Audience Hears All About The Kempe Story

In the autumn, more than 80 local history enthusiasts listened to academic, Adrian Barlow’s talk on Charles Kempe, a Victorian artist and manufacturer of stained glass. Born in Sussex, Kempe settled in Lindfield having established and built up a flourishing enterprise which produced more than 4,000 stained glass windows and other artefacts for churches across Britain.

Event organiser, James Nicholson said: “Adrian Barlow is a compelling speaker. He had just launched his book Kempe – The Life, Art and Legacy of Charles Eamer Kempe, and he gave us a good, all round account of how Kempe put his firm together and encouraged its growth.”

Adrian Barlow discussed the five Kempe windows in the village’s St Giles Church, the best of which in his opinion is the three-panelled west window of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. He said of it, ‘I was so lucky to see the west window with the afternoon sun lighting it up spectacularly. I have no hesitation in saying that I think it is one of the best windows of its
date to come from Kempe’s Studio’. 

For more information about Adrian Barlow and his work on Charles Eamer Kempe, visit: www.adrianbarlow.co.uk