We’re a bit overdue, but we thought we’d do a look back at our work for First Church Christ Scientist in Concord, NH from throughout 2021. In Spring, we began with the restoration of 30 clerestory panels, and in Summer got to work on the windows that line the Nave and Narthex.

The removal of the Clerestory windows proved to be challenging, starting with the fact that they’re 50 feet in the air. Without the benefit of interior staging, we removed the windows from the exterior using a lift, carefully transporting them to ground and back to our studio. From there, we got right to work disassembling, cleaning and preparing them to be rebuilt.

The windows are all the same basic design. so once we got to releading them, our task was a lot more straightforward. To match the original, we worked with a fairly wide, flat lead profile and opted to “tuck” the lead at the joints, adding strength to the lead structure. From there, they were puttied, cleaned and readied for reinstallation.

Once installed, we moved on to the removal of the Nave and Narthex windows. The Nave windows are a cluster of four panels; three lancets topped by a circle, and they share colors and design elements. They needed a fair amount of glass repairs , including a mix of copper foil, tinted conservation grade silicone and epoxy. Some pieces were beyond repair and needed to be replicated altogether. But, thanks to Dennis’ painting and firing skills, the replacement pieces are indistinguishable from the originals.

We completed the reinstallation just before Thanksgiving, and removed the next batch from the East and West elevations. We’ve been working on them over the winter and plan to reinstall them in April. This year, we’ll be working on the large and beautiful transept windows that flank the North and South sides. Stay tuned — these are gorgeous windows and we’ll be sure to get some pictures posted.