Windows

Baptistry

The walls of the baptistry contain small stained-glass windows. Each one is intended as an inspiration in leading a Christian life. The first of these is of a child reading (left) and bears the legend "Search the Scriptures". It is a reminder to us that we need regular nourishment as Christians. Much of that nourishment comes, directly or indirectly, from the Bible as the primary account of mankind's developing understanding of God's relationship with humanity. The traditional expression of how Anglican's view the Bible is that it contains all things necessary for salvation. That is not the same as saying that everything in it needs to believed for it does contain apparent contradictions. These represent different attempts to understand the mystery of our relationship with God, attempts informed and affected by the context of the original writer. A famous Anglican prayer reminds us that we are called to "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest" the Bible. By becoming more familiar with it we try to reach through to that deeper understanding of God and how we should behave here and now.

Not surprisingly one of the windows depicts John the Baptist (right), or John the Baptiser as he is sometimes called. He was the Forerunner, the voice "crying in the wilderness" who reminded people how far they had strayed from following God's ways and of the need for repentance. This repentance was symbolised by baptism, washing away their sins. Although Christians (and Muslims) believe Jesus to have been sinless he was also baptised by John as a mark of the start of his earthly ministry.

St Christopher (left) gets his name from the legend that he carried a child across a river. Later he saw that it was Christ he had carried across. That is why pictures of him generally show him with a child on his shoulder, and why he is the patron saint of travellers. His inclusion here is a reminder that Christians bear Christ with them wherever they go. As He himself pointed out, in serving others we are serving him.

The most recent piece of stained glass at St Martin's, replacing one that was broken, depicts Saint Cecilia (right). She is the patron saint of music and musicians, which is why she is generally pictured carrying a small organ. When we see a good musician we may see that they are totally absorbed in what they are playing or singing. Saint Cecilia's portrayal here reminds us that the Christian faith is something that should involve every aspect of our lives, not simply something we attend to on Sundays.

Nave

Facing you as you enter St Martin's are a pair of angels (left). The left-hand one of the pair is Michael, identified by the red cross on a white back-ground and the inverted spear topped by a cross. Michael is identified as one of the chief angels in the book if Daniel and as the leader of the angels fighting the dragon (representing the Devil) in the book of Revelation. He is sometimes called St Michael and is commemorated in the feat of St Michael and All Angels (Michaelmas) on 29 September, the end of the agricultural year. This window is in memory of Lt Charles James Williams, killed in action December 1925, aged 28. The right-hand light shows the other angel named in the Bible, Gabriel. Gabriel can be identified by the lily leaning between the figure's arm and shoulder as well as by the scroll bearing the words Ad Maria gloria plena he is holding. in memory of Ernest August Holmstead who died in May the following year. This expression of the glory accorded to Mary reminds us of the angel's initial greeting to the young woman as a favoured one blessed by God. Mary found such a greeting unusually impressive but it was merely the opening to the important news the angel brought. Mary was the one to bear the promised Messiah, the Christ child.

St Martin's has relatively little stained glass in the nave, the main body of the church. However what is found there does have relatively unusual subject matter. Most stained glass in churches depicts events from the life of Christ, or occasionally Moses or Elijah representing the Law and the Prophets of Judaism. In the middle of the North wall of the church is the window shown on the right. It depicts David to whom the Book of Psalms is ascribed, which is why he is carrying a harp. David came from being a shepherd-boy to succeed Saul and be the second King of Israel, the one who established Jerusalem. Various passages in the Bible refer to Jesus as David's successor, the one called to found the new kingdom of God's people - a kingdom that will last for ever. This window commemorates Charles Fry who died in April 1916.

Opposite the window depicting David is one showing Christ rising from the tomb (left). The risen Lord is attended by an angel with soldiers sleeping infront of the open tomb. In common with most such depictions the tomb is not as described in the Bible but is let into the ground so the angel is holding a square lid rather than a stone that rollen into place in front of an opening in the rock. The strong symbolism of this window commemorates a brother and sister. Frank Arden Cormmelin died on Easter Wednesday, 16 April 1897, not long after the church was built, while his sister Alic had died in infancy in January 1860.

Sanctuary

The main East Window above the High Altar is of a familiar theme with Christ reigning in glory with the world at his feet. It was erected in 1902 in memory of A Hawkins-Jones, the first Vicar of the parish, who had died in post two years earlier.

To the left of the East Window is a double window (left). This depicts St Etheldreda holding a model representing Ely Cathedral. When St Martin's was built it was part of the Diocese of Ely. St Etheldreda is shown carrying this model because she founded a double monastery of men and women religious at Ely in about 673. Such double monasteries were quite common in her day. St Hilda had founded a similar religious house at Whitby about 15 years earlier. Monasteries with moth male and female vowed religious are rare nowadays but there is one a few miles from Bedford at Turvey Abbey. The right-hand light depicts St Helena holding a cross. Helena was the mother of the Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to espouse Christianity. When she was 70 she travelled to the Holy Land and founded the basilicas on the Mount of Olives and at Bethlehem. Legends from the end of the fourth century say that she found the cross of which Jesus was crucified.

To the right of the sanctuary is another double window (right). The left-hand light depicts Saint Martin of Tours, to whom the church is dedicated. The right-hand light depicts Saint Alban, Britain's first martyr who died in the early fourth century. He was martyred after disguising himself in the clothes of the priest he had been sheltering. His martyrdom is commemorated in the modern name of the town where he lived - St Albans. Bedford became part of the Diocese of St Albans when the diocesan boundaries were changed in 1914. These windows are in memory of Louisa Sarah Manson and were given by two members of the congregation.

Lady Chapel

The main window in the Lady Chapel (left) was was subscribed for by the communicant members of St Martin's. It is of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ. He has his hand raised in blessing, an action echoed in the top small light of Christ seated as king on a throne. There he holds an open book in his left hand. This bears the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of that alphabet. This signifies Christ's title as the beginning and the end. In the main window the couple are attended by angels bearing scrolls in the side-lights. One scroll reads "Thou are the King of Glory, O Christ", while the other scroll reads "Thou are the Everlasting Son of the Father."

The side-wall of the chapel has a three light window (right) given by Miss K F Lyall as a thank offering in thanks for her brother and sister, Alice Mary Lyall (died June 1905) and the Reverend Frederick James Lyall (died April 1908). The panels depict significant events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, starting with the appearance of Gabriel at the Annunciation, telling her that she had been chosen to be the mother of the promised Messiah. The Church recalls this event nine months before Christmas, on 25 March, unless that conflicts with the proper observation of Lent and Easter. It is also called Lady Day and is one of the four Quarter Days when rent is traditionally due. In the centre panel the birth of that child is depicted while the right-hand panel shows the Holy Family at the Temple in Jerusalem. Jewish Law prescribed that a first-born male belonged to God so a first-born son had to be redeemed by offering the prescibed sacrifice of two birs, which St Joseph is shown holding in their cage. Christians commemorate this event under a variety if names. The first of these, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, gives the clear link with Our Lady, reminding us that she was ritually unclean for 40 days after the birth of Jesus. A second name is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple while the third name recalls the fact that Since the Church traditionally blesses candles for the following year on this day. That gives rise to it being called Candlemas.