News: Vandalism to Angel Door

Press Release | 12 January 2024

Guildford Cathedral vandalism to Angel Door

Vandals damage iconic angel glass at Guildford Cathedral.

 It is with great sadness that Guildford Cathedral announces that vandals have caused considerable damage to its iconic glass panes – part of a set of sentinel angels engraved by renowned glass artist John Hutton.

The police were called to the cathedral in the early hours of Friday morning after vandals smashed one of the glass panels and an investigation is underway.

The damaged window panel is part of a set of sentinel angels engraved by glass artist John Hutton (1906 - 1978) which are an iconic feature of the west front of the Cathedral and an acclaimed piece of 20th-century art.

Matt O’Grady, Chief Operating Officer said:

 "Everyone at the Cathedral is devastated by this senseless act of vandalism at a holy place.

“The smashed window was engraved by renowned glass engraving artist John Hutton and is irreplaceable.

“We hope that the whole community will come together to recognise that acts such as this serve no purpose and that places such as our Cathedral need to be preserved as shrines of peace, tranquillity, and spirituality in a troubled world,” he added.

Fundraising Page

https://guildfordcathedral.enthuse.com/cf/sentinel-angel-glass-repair
 

Ends

Immediate Release

For more information contact Matt O’Grady, Chief Operating Officer via dops@guildford-cathedral.org and Nicola Pratt, Head of Development at Guildford Cathedral on 01483 547884 headofdevelopment@guildford-cathedral.org

Photographs of Damage. Credit Guildford Cathedral

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Guildford Cathedral

Guildford Cathedral is the newest Church of England Cathedral consecrated on a new site, and the only Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Spirit.

When WWII stopped the building process with the Cathedral partially completed, there were fears that the building would not be completed, and even talks of tearing down what was already built. But in an incredible display of support, thousands of individual bricks were bought by members of the public and community groups. Even Queen Elizabeth II joined in a bought and signed a brick. These simple gifts started the journey of the People’s Cathedral.

That support has been rewarded with a Cathedral that stands strong on Stag Hill, an instantly recognisable symbol of Guildford that can be seen from miles away, a symbol of hope and a sign of homecoming. Inside is a place of light and peace, used as both a place of worship and as a venue for the local community. The natural light that streams in highlights the open space and creates an atmosphere of stillness for all visitors. It is a space made possible by the people and used for the people.

This incredible building stands as a testament to what’s achievable when people pull together, from the passion, faith, and dedication to make this building happen in the 20th century, to today’s team who continue that dedication, faith, and mission to be Open to God, Open to All.

John Hutton, engraver and artist.

Artist John Hutton (1906 – 1978) was born in New Zealand but spent most of his career in the United Kingdom.

Hutton worked until he died in 1978. His ashes were buried beneath a stone at the foot of the acclaimed West Screen he created at Coventry Cathedral -part of which was also destroyed by vandalism in 2020.

The angels at Guildford, stand as sentinels to the doors of the western, main entrance of the Cathedral. The doors are from 1961. Earlier internal doors on the south transept are one of Hutton's early glass engravings, completed in 1955.

Hutton felt strongly that his work must be more than purely decorative: that it must be part of the spiritual surge of the architecture.

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Added Friday 12th January 2024