The Quadrangle

Stained glass windows

There are many beautiful stained glass windows in the Quadrangle, particularly in the Great Hall and the North, South and Nicholson Vestibules.

A selection of images appears below.

• Stained glass windows in the Great Hall
• The North Vestibule stained glass windows in the East Range
• The South Vestibule stained glass windows in the East Range
• The Oriental Studies lobby stained glass window
• Stained glass windows in the Nicholson Vestibule
• Stained glass windows in the Professorial Board Room

Images are courtesy of the University Secretariat unless otherwise indicated. Click on images for enlargement.

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STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE GREAT HALL

The stained glass windows in the Great Hall are among the finest work of their kind in Australia. They had been made in England, shipped to Sydney and installed in the Great Hall by the time of the Hall's official opening on 18 July 1859.

• View details about all the Great Hall windows, and their donors.

— The Oxford window:
The western Oxford window depicts portraits of figures associated with the founding of colleges within the universities, holding a replica of his or her college, with the arms of the college reproduced beside the figure.

— The Cambridge window:
The eastern Cambridge window depicts portraits of figures associated with the founding of colleges within the universities, holding a replica of his or her college, with the arms of the college reproduced beside the figure.

— The Royal windows:
In the alcove beside the dais are the royal windows, consisting of a large central panel on the north wall, with smaller ones high up on the east and west walls. They contain portraits of the rulers of England, together with their consorts, from William the Conqueror to Victoria.

— The Anglo-Saxons window:
The smaller eleven windows along the side walls each present three portraits of men famous in literature, history, philosophy or science.

The Anglo-Saxons window is window I: Venerable Bede (673-735), Alcuinus (732-804) and Caedman (7th century).

— The Medieval writers window:
The Medieval writers window is Window III: Chaucer (1340-1400), Fortescue (1394-1476) and James I of Scotland (1394-1437).

— The Tudor writers window:
The Tudor writers window is Window IV: Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Earl of Surrey (1518-1547) and Spenser (1552-1599).

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THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE NORTH VESTIBULE, EAST RANGE

The North Vestibule stained glass windows show the University's coat of arms, the coats of arms of contemporary British universities, foundation Fellows of Senate and university benefactors.

These were:

• top row from left: London, Dublin, Oxford, Cambridge and Durham Universities
• second row from left: St Andrews, Glasgow, Sydney, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities
• third row from left: E Deas Thomson, E W T Hamilton, Royal arms, C Nicholson and D Cooper (Fellows and benefactors)
• bottom row from left: J H Challis, W C Wentworth, J D Maclean (donor of window), T Barker and S K Salting (Fellows and benefactors)

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THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE SOUTH VESTIBULE, EAST RANGE

The South Vestibule stained glass windows show the University's coat of arms, coats of arms of Governors Bourke and Gipps as well as early benefactors and Fellows of Senate.

These were:

• top row from left: Richard Bourke, George Gipps, Queen Victoria, C A Fitzroy and Alfred Denison.
• second row from left: Robert Allwood, John Bede Polding, University of Sydney, J B Darvall and S A Donaldson.
• third row from left: H G Douglass, J H Plunkett, Colony of NSW, W Purves and J Dobie
• bottom row from left: F L S Merewether, B O'Brien, Moses Joseph (donor of the window), J Woolley and W M Manning.

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THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW IN THE ORIENTAL STUDIES ROOM LOBBY

The Oriental Studies Room, lobby and office formerly comprised the Nicholson Museum of Antiquities, in which Sir Charles Nicholson's valuable collection of antiquities were housed and which formed the basis of a museum, now located under MacLaurin Hall.

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THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE NICHOLSON VESTIBULE

There are three stained glass windows in the Nicholson Vestibule on the staircase leading up to the Professorial Board Room, which were erected in 1920: the St Nicholas window, the MacLaurin window and the St George window.

• Find out more about the stained glass windows.

— The St Nicholas window:
This window was a memorial to the navy in World War I.

— The MacLaurin window:
This window was a memorial to Sir Henry Normand MacLaurin.

• Read about Sir Henry Normand MacLaurin.

Above from left: James VI (Scotland) I (England); Sir Henry MacLaurin; and Alfred the Great, photos, copyright David White.

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— The St George window:
This window was a memorial to the army in World War I.

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THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS IN THE PROFESSORIAL BOARD ROOM

The windows in the Professorial Board Room have matching stained glass, but with different colours and effects, at the top of each section of window.

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LB