Reviews
"Martin Crampin, artist, scholar and photographer, has an unrivalled understanding of the stained glass of Wales… His skill set positively encourages the production of beautiful and authoritative books.
- Matthew Saunders, Ancient Monuments Society/Friends of Friendless Churches (Summer 2020)
Martin Crampin's acclaimed Stained Glass from Welsh Churches, published by Y Lolfa in 2011 was
the first Wales-wide study of the subject from the medieval period through to the present day. Lavishly
illustrated in colour by the author's photographs it also contained a mass of information and research into
artists, studios and subjects in both Church in Wales and Roman Catholic churches. Since then he has
published a number of booklets on individual churches and now on the depiction of Wales' patron saint
in, principally, stained glass but also in statuary. This substantially extends what was published in 2011.
This short review can only indicate some of the interest and diverse content of this new work, despite the
fact that it is only 75 pages in length and contains no less than 169 colour photographs.
- Heather James, Archaeologia Cambrensis
"The fact that many churches are now empty or derelict underlines the importance of scholarly work in collating a record of them, especially when the photography shows them at their most glorious and the quality of these alone make the book a very worthwhile project. Now, whisperingly I should suggest – and St David would probably not approve of this suggestion – that at £7.99 a treasury of imagery and info such as this must be the official bargain of St David's Day. Just as David was a wanderer, often depicted barefoot or in sandals so too has Martin Crampin toured the land, camera in hand to produce a glorious little handbook to so many unexpected treasures, often to be found in a parish somewhere near you.
- Jon Gower, Nation.cymru
His commentary shows both the knowledge which comes from detailed research and the insight which comes from appreciation, and is a fine complement to his own excellent photographs, which are reproduced, 170 of them, in colour. The publishers are also to be congratulated on the quality of the production of the work. It costs £7.99, a price which deserves not the usual adjective, "reasonable", but borders on the astonishing. This is a fine book in every respect.
- Richard W. Ireland, The Local Historian
We are in safe hands with Martin Crampin. He is an experienced professional photographer and academic of considerable standing... His many excellent photographs throughout this work are presented carefully with good detail, and the accompanying text lists both the artists who made the work and the changing contexts in which the work was commissioned. [The book is] of value to historians, architects and artists with professional interests in ecclesiastical architecture and art, but 170 church communities will have the delight of seeing their windows and carvings of St. David described in this scholarly book, and many other readers with a general interest in Wales will take pleasure in dipping and discovering that small out-of-the-way buildings in hamlets, heard of but never yet stopped at, hold beautifully coloured and valued insights into the memory and continuing witness of David.
- R M Parry, The Welsh Agenda
In short, this is a glorious little book whose compact size does not make any concessions for quality of image or text. It is beautifully written and thoroughly researched, and nicely complements the author's 'Stained Glass in Welsh Churches'. For those left wanting to learn more there is a practical bibliography with plenty of useful pointers. It is highly accessible and there is plenty to delight a very wide spectrum of readers. Worth every penny.
- Megan Stacey, Vidimus online medieval stained glass magazine
