3rd April 2011

St Nicolas' is blessed with some of the best Victorian stained glass windows in the Midlands but, until now, their full glory has only been visible to those fortunate enough to visit the church during daylight hours.

All of that has now changed, however. From Lent 2011, visitors will be able to buy a range of postcards and bookmarks featuring some of the best of St Nicolas' stained glass. The first three items in the collection are now available. They feature scenes from the life of Christ as described in the Gospel readings for Lent: Jesus and the Woman at the Well; Jesus and Nicodemus; and the Raising of Lazarus.

The first laminated bookmark features the spectacular but little-known Kings Norton Angel. You can read more about it here.

Items are on sale from the back of the church at 50p each. If they sell well, a percentage of the profits will be reinvested to expand the collection. Any surplus will contribute towards the upkeep of the church.

The prints are the work of David Ash, who has been creating a photographic record of the stained glass since 2009. Plans for future publications include a full-colour booklet about St Nicolas' and a website featuring high-resolution photographs of all the windows, with explanatory texts by Sylvia Fox.