This is a detail of St Agnes by Morris. William Morris and Burne Jones in the Cotswolds
William Morris's earliest church windows are at Selsley in the Cotswolds. The windows there were designed in 1861-2 by Morris, Burne-Jones, Ford Madox Brown, Philip Webb and their Pre-Raphaelite Partner, D. G. Rossetti. In the chancel at Selsley is Morris's Annunciation. His Gabriel is based on the Annunciation in Van Eyck's Altarpiece of the Lamb at Ghent. The Life of Christ continues round the apse. Each scene is placed under a canopy based on those in the windows placed in the chapel of Merton College Oxford circa 1300 AD.
Near Banbury are two other churches with 1860s windows by Morris's firm.
Bloxham has an east window with pairs of saints by Morris and Burne-Jones.
Middleton Cheney also has an east window with pairs of saints, but these are by
Morris, Madox Brown and Simeon Solomon. This is a detail of St Agnes by Morris.
Her dress is an early example of the diagonal branch patterns which Morris later used on some of his textiles. The other windows at Middleton Cheney are by Burne-Jones and Madox Brown. Burne-Jones's Holy Children in the Fiery Furnace has magnificent twisting flames. In Oxford are the remains of the 1857 wall paintings in the Union Society, the Burne-Jones windows in Christ Church Cathedral and Burne-Jones's 'Angels of Creation' windows.
Kelmscott Manor, Morris's summer home, has unique embroideries and printed and woven textiles, as well as Morris's 17th century bed with its embroidered curtains and coverlet.
All of these places, and many others, are described in Ann S. Dean's book, 'Burne-Jones and William Morris in Oxford and the Surrounding Area'. It explains which artist designed each of the figures in the windows and it gives the phone numbers needed to request access to the churches. Click below for details.