THE GREAT EAST WINDOW OF YORK MINSTER AN ENGLISH MASTERPIEC, by Sarah Brown (Profile Books, £20)

ONE of Yorkshire’s greatest treasures is the great East window in York Minster.

It is the size of a tennis court and is the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in Britain, a marvel of its age and one that still demands admiration today.

John Thornton, from Coventry, was the master glazier for creating this work of art, signing a contract to do so in 1405.

It is likely that he brought some glaziers from his home town to work on the window, but equally he may have used some local men as the quality of York’s glaziers was well known.

The theme of the design of the window is the history of time from the creation, through to the stories of the Old Testament and the 81 scenes devoted to the Apocalypse.

Recently the Great East Window has been lovingly restored with exacting precision and has been beautifully photographed, capturing the complete sequence of the major panels in their correct placement for the first time.

A catalogue of these stunning photographs is produced in this excellent book which details the history of the window, its design and six-year restoration.

The author is renowned for her study of stained glass and works within the history of art department at the University of York, while also taking responsibility for the care of the stained glass of York Minster being the director and chief executive of the York Glaziers Trust.

She has written an erudite and readable book that tells us all we want to know about this wonderful masterpiece that Yorkshire is so proud of.