Historic Tillinghast stained glass under restoration at Trinity Episcopal Church

Press release:

Letting the Light In
Historic Tillinghast stained glass windows undergoing massive restoration at Trinity Episcopal

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A massive restoration project at Trinity Episcopal Church means that soon multi-colored light will again be streaming through the historic, 100-year-old stained glass windows in the nave.

The windows were the last project of famed designer Mary Elizabeth Tillinghast before her death in 1912, and Trinity is among the last churches in the country where her remarkable stained glass still exists in its original setting. In fact, the provenance of these windows had even been forgotten at Trinity until 2009, when Asheville resident Laura Hope-Gill led a quest to determine their origin.

The East Window (above) is particularly unique and dramatic with a creative and unusual use of repeating pomegranates, roses and thistles, the effect of which is characteristic of the opalescent warmth of Tiffany glass, the style Tillinghast preferred.

Over the years, however, a number of the Tillinghast’s windows at Trinity were lost to age and deterioration so the church is ensuring these gifts of history and artistry will remain full of beauty and light for future generations in Asheville.

The restoration has been made possible by a major gift in memory of Greg Byrd, Christopher Byrd, Phillip Byrd and Jackie Kulzer, who died in an Atlanta airplane crash in 2015. The gift was made by their family, Hope Swicegood Byrd, Joe and Peggy Swicegood, and Grady and Peggy Byrd.

Noted stained glass company Willet Hauser Architectural Glass is leading the restoration, which will include several of their own original windows along the church’s southern wall.

The restoration of the windows is part of a larger capital project at the church, which was built in 1913 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1847, Trinity was the first Episcopal church in Western North Carolina and today is home to a vibrant worshipping community, continuing its legacy of proclaiming Christ’s love in the heart of downtown Asheville. Built following a 1911 fire, the current building was designed by Bertram Goodhue, one of America’s preeminent architects at the turn of the 20th century, and represents Trinity’s third building on the corner of Church and Aston streets.