Church window commemorates village connection with RAF base
A STAINED glass window paying tribute to a famous RAF base has been unveiled after the project was almost scrapped for being too “triumphalist”.
The beautifully hand-painted artwork depicts the heritage of RAF Scampton and celebrates the station which has been the home of both the Red Arrows and Dambusters squadron.
The window will be installed at Scampton Church in Lincolnshire after the local community raised £23,000 to fund its creation.
Clergy at the RAF church said they wanted to create the tribute to commemorate service personnel from the Second World War to the present day.
The Rev Sue Deacon said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support we’ve had since we suggested we did this window. This church has always been the official RAF church for RAF Scampton and we’re very proud of that. It was their church and they used to come here to remember their comrades. It’s a community and one big family.”
The design contains 380 hand-painted pieces of glass and depicts the diamond formation of the Red Arrows, a Lancaster bomber and a Vulcan aircraft.
But the project was almost scuppered in 2019 after the Diocese of Lincoln warned images of historic achievements might be seen as “triumphalist”.
However, campaigners pushed ahead with fundraising and the finishing touches are being made to the window before it is installed in the summer.
Artist Claire Williamson has spent two years painstakingly working on the design, which also celebrates the church’s 100year heritage as an RAF chapel.
The 14th century Grade IIlisted building watches over 107 Commonwealth war and RAF service graves commemorating lives lost in conflicts globally.
The church also has war graves for eight German soldiers who were shot down while running operations near the base during the Second World War.
Anyone wishing to sponsor a pane of glass can email rafwindow@scamptonchurch. org
They used to come here to remember their comrades. The Rev Sue Deacon, vicar of Scrampton.