Alice in Wonderland stained glass window, Cheshire Cat, All Saints Church Daresbury

Image: © Matt Harrop Taken: 6 Apr 2015

The Daniell Chapel contains one of the best-known features of All Saints', the Lewis Carroll Memorial Window. To mark the centenary of his birth, Carroll enthusiasts from all over the world subscribed to a memorial fund, which resulted in a gift to All Saints' of this striking and unusual stained glass window, dedicated in 1935. The window was designed by the stained glass artist Geoffrey Webb and depicts a Nativity scene, at which both Carroll and Alice are present. Below the Nativity scene are 5 panels illustrated with characters and scenes from Alice in Wonderland including the White Rabbit, the Lizard, the Dodo, the Caterpillar, Fish-Footman, Mad Hatter, Dormouse, March Hare, Duchess, Gryphon, Mock Turtle, Knave and Queen of Hearts. The famous Cheshire Cat can be found in the centre of the fifth panel. The 3 centre panels contain verses from the Lewis Carroll’s poem ‘Christmas Greetings (From a Fairy to a Child)’. Geoffrey Webb’s mark was a spider’s web that he would incorporate into the design of his windows. The web can be found in the fifth section of the Window, just above the Queen of Hearts and includes the date ‘1935’. Other examples of Geoffrey Webb’s work can be found at Manchester Cathedral, Tewkesbury Abbey, Woolwich Town Hall, St John the Divine, (Felbridge) St Mary’s (East Grinstead) St Mark’s Cathedral (George, South Africa) St Nicholas (Kingsley, Hampshire), and windows in the parish churches of Cowfold, Lindfield and Oxted. Geoffrey Webb died in 1954.

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