New research indicates that some stained glass windows from Canterbury Cathedral may be among the oldest in the world.
The panels, depicting the Ancestors of Christ, have been re-dated using a new, non-destructive technique.
The analysis indicates that some of them may date back to the mid-1100s.
The windows would therefore have been in place when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was killed at the cathedral in 1170.
Léonie Seliger, the head of stained glass conservation at the cathedral, and part of the research team, told BBC News that the discovery was historically “hugely significant”.
Research shows Ancestors of Christ stained glass figures @No1Cathedral likely to date to mid 12th century before the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 and rebuilding of the Romanesque cathedral after a fire in 1174. https://t.co/whXReKD5qF
— Janet Gough (@Gough_Janet) July 27, 2021