A Guide to St. Edward’s Church – South Aisle

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There are 12 crosses around the walls of the church. These mark the sites where the walls were anointed during the consecration of the church to God. The Stations of the Cross (not pictured) were donated by the Drake-Lee family.

“Deus Meus et Omnia” (“My God and My All” – the motto of the Franciscan order). This window, at the rear of the south aisle, bears the coat of arms of Bishop Laurence Youens, 6th Bishop of Northampton 1933-1939. It depicts a gridiron on which St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, was put to death. The yew trees are a pun on the bishop’s surname. Bishop Youens authorised the building of St. Edward’s church and shortly before his death in November 1939 assigned money inherited by the diocese to pay the majority of the costs of the build.

This window can be seen on the left hand side above the south aisle, at the rear of the nave. It contains three lights. The central light is of Madonna and Child on a background of rays of light. Mary has a golden cruciform halo and the Christ child a golden and white cruciform halo. The left hand light carries the letters IHS. This is a symbol for Jesus, a Latin interpretation of the Greek spelling of Jesus, (IHCOYC) which was abbreviated to IHC. The right hand light carries the Greek letters XP, known as the Chi Rho. It stands for Christ, from the Greek word for Christ XPICTOC. The X and P are interlinked to make a single whole as a reminder of the cross.

This window is located on the left hand side above the south aisle, at the centre of the nave. It contains three lights. The central light is of Jesus, arms open, displaying his sacred heart and with a golden and white cruciform halo. The left hand light pictures an empty cross encircled by a crown. (The arm of the cross is one third of the way down the vertical, this is known as the Latin cross.) The empty cross symbolizes resurrection, the crown symbolises Jesus’ kingship and of eternal life. The right hand light displays a single sword atop an X (a cross saltire, a symbol of martyrdom and humility). The sword is the sword of the spirit, standing both for martyrdom and for the power and authority of God.

This window can be seen on the left hand side above the south aisle at the front of the nave. It contains three lights. The central light is of Madonna and Child on a background of rays of light. Mary has a white cruciform halo with golden edging and the Christ child a golden cruciform halo. The left hand light depicts a white dove with a cruciform halo descending. This picture represents the Holy Spirit. The right hand light depicts an empty cross with a fish superimposed. (The cross is formed from arms of equal length and is known as a Greek cross) The fish is the symbol of Christ atop an empty cross, symbol of God’s power and hope.