York Minster is home to one of the most significant collections of stained glass in the country. Behind every panel is the dedicated team at The York Glaziers Trust – Britain’s oldest and largest stained glass conservation studio – who work tirelessly to care for and preserve this magnificent collection.

We sat down with Susanna, one of the Conservators at The York Glaziers Trust, to chat about her role and find out how the team looks after such a precious part of York Minster’s heritage.

Can you tell us about your role at The York Glaziers Trust and how you got into it?

“I am a Stained Glass Conservator at The York Glaziers Trust (YGT). After completing my MA in Stained Glass Conservation and Heritage Management at the University of York, I was offered a position at the YGT as a Trainee Conservator in January 2023, and have since progressed to the position of Junior Conservator and subsequently to my current role as Conservator.

In addition to my conservation work, I run the YGT’s social media and am a member of our teaching team, which provides hands-on conservation training for the University of York’s MA programme.”

What projects are you currently working on?

“On the conservation bench at the moment, we have the exquisite South Transept lancet windows created by renowned York-based glass painter William Peckitt (1731-1795). These windows date to the late eighteenth century, and the quality of the craftsmanship is remarkable. It has been such a joy to see them up close, as the detail can so often be lost from ground level. The glass has been heavily broken in many places (a rogue pigeon was involved in one particularly unfortunate incident!), and the windows have been exposed to the extreme heating and cooling cycles typically experienced by south-facing windows. However, we are in the fortunate position to be able to rectify these issues with the help of conservation-grade adhesives and the provision of a bespoke environmental protective glazing system.

“Also in development is the conservation methodology for York Minster’s beloved Rose Window, which suffered catastrophic heat damage during the 1984 fire in the South Transept but was saved thanks to the timely and innovative intervention of our predecessors at the YGT. We are looking forward to revisiting this window next year, both to see how the conservation programme of the 1980s has fared, and to ensure the window’s continued survival for generations to come. This work will also coincide with our 60th anniversary as a charitable trust, so it is a particularly exciting time to be a member of the YGT team!”

What’s your favourite piece you’ve ever worked on? 

“As a conservator, it is so difficult to choose a favourite project. However, I think the window that has stuck with me the most is York Minster’s window S5 (c.1390), which is in the South Choir Clerestory. This was the first conservation project that I worked on from initial removal and condition assessment, through the conservation process, and finally to the reinstallation of the conserved glass and its new protective glazing system. It was hugely rewarding witnessing the process it is entirety, and contributing to the upkeep of this beautiful and significant window. Plus, during this project I rapidly gained a head for heights, which has proven essential for working on the Minster scaffold!”

What has surprised you about working at The York Glaziers Trust and on York Minster’s Stained Glass? 

“I think what has surprised me the most is how rapidly our studio has changed, even within the short space of time that I have worked as a conservator. Over the past three years, so many of our working methodologies, studio spaces, and approaches to conservation have evolved in response to changing technologies. For example, last year our main studio on Deangate finally got its own goods lift, after 110 years of carrying stained glass panels up and down a spiral staircase!

“We currently operate at the forefront of conservation best practice and as a team we are encouraged to be thinking regularly about how best to improve our skills and techniques. New avenues for templating, scanning, digitisation, and documentation are presenting innovative solutions to our day-to-day conservation problems. Our pioneering use of new materials, such as UV-IR glass for state-of-the-art protective glazing, reminds me that approaches to conservation are never ‘finished’; there is always room for improvement, and there is always scope for innovation for those with the imagination to think outside the box. We are very fortunate to enjoy a close working relationship with the Minster’s Centre for Excellence, who are equally proactive in utilising emerging technologies to support traditional craft skills and ensure that heritage conservation remains viable, dynamic and responsive.”