Divine Light: The Stained Glass of England's Cathedrals

The stained-glass windows of England’s cathedrals illuminate interior spaces, communicate religious and other messages, and – perhaps – offer a glimpse of heaven. This book tells the remarkable story of these much-loved works of art.

The stained-glass windows of England’s cathedrals illuminate interior spaces, communicate religious and other messages, and – perhaps – offer us a glimpse of heaven. This book tells the remarkable story of these much-loved works of art.

Divine Light features glass from every Church of England cathedral. It spans nearly 900 years, beginning with the windows installed at Canterbury Cathedral following the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 and representing every subsequent century in the history of English stained glass. Divine Light encompasses the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the hugely productive ‘long 19th century’, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Arts and Crafts movement, the creative commissions of the 20th century, and the innovative glass being commissioned by cathedrals today.

The book establishes the connections between the artistic beauty of stained glass, its effectiveness as a narrative medium, and the various technical developments that have shaped the work of practitioners over the centuries. The refraction of light through colored glass emerges as an early form of mass communications that retains its power to move and inspire today.

For eight years the Church of England’s Director of Church Buildings and Secretary of the Church Buildings Council and Cathedrals Fabric Commission, Janet Gough OBE has written four illustrated paperbacks to encourage wider enjoyment of these extraordinary buildings, Director's Choice: Churches of the Church of England, Director's Choice: Cathedrals of the Church of England, and Deans' Choice: Cathedral Treasures of England and Wales and most recently (2025) Divine Light: The Stained Glass of England’s Cathedrals. A Cambridge graduate in History and History of Art, Janet worked at Sotheby’s for nine years, was a trustee at the Churches Conservation Trust, the Museum of Fulham Palace and the Friends of the V&A and guided and lectured at the V&A. Janet advised Royal Mail on the special Christmas 2024 stamps, which featured five cathedrals from across the UK. Janet received an OBE for services to heritage in 2017.