Brownwood, TX
About the Church
St. John’s Anglican Church is a historic architectural landmark in Brownwood, Texas. Built in 1892 in the Early English Gothic Revival style, the church is constructed of load-bearing stone and features characteristic lancet windows and buttresses. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, the sanctuary is home to a renowned collection of stained glass originally imported from Belgium in 1894. A unique part of its heritage includes a historic shipping error that resulted in the installation of the “Tokyo” window behind the altar—originally intended for a church in Japan—making its glasswork a subject of international fascination.
Our Work
Our team was commissioned to perform critical restoration and modernization work to preserve the integrity and beauty of the church’s storied glass collection.
Restoration and Custom Creation
The project addressed both historical preservation and new artistic additions:
- Window Restoration: Four windows underwent extensive service, ranging from complete restoration to targeted repairs of broken, cracked, or missing glass pieces.
- New Custom Design: One window was replaced with an entirely new stained glass design, carefully crafted to harmonize with the existing 19th-century Belgian glass.
- Temporary Transparencies: To maintain the comfort and aesthetic of the sanctuary during the process, custom transparencies were installed while the windows were off-site for restoration and repair.
Structural and Aesthetic Enhancements
Beyond the glass itself, we focused on the long-term stability of the window openings:
- Millwork and Support: All surrounding millwork was repainted to refresh the interior aesthetic. We also added custom glazing bars where necessary to provide essential structural reinforcement.
Klear-flo Protective Covering
To ensure these windows are protected for the next century, we reinstalled them with our Klear-flo acrylic protective covering system. Using 1/4-inch high-grade acrylic, this system provides a durable, impact-resistant shield against the Texas elements. The nearly invisible framing allows the historic Gothic architecture and Belgian glass to remain the focal point while providing a secure, ventilated environment for the windows.
Resource
St. John’s Anglican Church Official Website: stjohnsbrownwood.com
