Earlier this spring, St Albans Cathedral hosted a sold-out stained glass workshop led by the talented Ellie Grana, founder of Hicca Glass. Organised by our Adult Learning Team, this hands-on session gave attendees the rare opportunity to explore the endangered craft of stained glass making — a vital tradition woven into the very fabric of our historic building.

Ellie is an artist who has contributed a great deal to the Cathedral; members of the community may recognise her work on the orientation map displayed outside.

Participants learned to cut, grind, copper foil, solder, and patina glass, each leaving with their very own colourful stained glass sun catcher. More than just a craft session, the day was also a chance to appreciate the history and heritage of stained glass artistry, which has adorned church buildings for centuries.

Workshops like this help preserve a fading craft while offering adults a unique, creative experience tied to the heritage of sacred spaces. Stained glass was added to the Endangered Crafts List by Heritage Crafts in 2023, making this event both timely and important.

“The endangered craft of stained-glass making is one which the fabric of many church buildings across the UK depend. Without the conservation of our beautiful windows, many of the beautiful masterpieces in glass, from medieval to pre-Raphaelite artworks, would not exist today. It was a joy to learn about the history of stained glass from Ellie Grana, founder of Hicca Glass, and to discover the skills behind cutting the glass and soldering the pieces together so that they transformed into individual sun catchers. We look forward to welcoming Ellie back to deliver further stained glass workshops in the future!”
— Isabelle Lepore, Learning Executive

We are delighted to announce that Ellie will be returning to the Cathedral for more stained glass workshops in the near future, as part of our expanding programme of adult learning events. Whether you're a curious beginner or a heritage enthusiast, keep an eye on our website for upcoming workshops and courses. 

A big thank you again to Ellie for a fantastic day!

Visit our Adult Learning Events page to see what's coming up and join us in discovering heritage through hands-on experiences.

If you are interested in learning more about the stained glass you see in the Cathedral, join our new stained glass tour in the Cathedral. Book here.