How would you describe the memorial and its ornamentation?
The memorial is a four light window of mainly clear glass with 8 small panels of anchor and cross symbols. “The iconography of this window is deliberately kept very simple. Its inspiration stems from a design of Queen Margrethe of Denmark for a cope at Århus Cathedral, showing the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Hope is traditionally represented by an Anchor. Faith is shown by the Cross and Charity by the Heart. This design is employed in the apex of the window. The anchor theme is repeated below where the four conventions of the cross as anchor are used, one in each light with the anchor and diagonal cross as the symbol for Grace in the third light. The cross and anchor device reinforces the Danish maritime theme as well as being the abiding symbol for Hope linked with Faith. In the second light the ship and cross are taken from Oikumene symbol of the World Council of Churches, appropriate for this gift from a Lutheran church to an Anglican cathedral. Near the top of the window the arms of Newcastle upon Tyne are shown together with the arms of the three Danish ports of Kobenhavn, Århus and Marstal from which many of the seamen came. The simple colours of read and blue spill out from the central design: red for the Passion and blue for Heavenly Love. The window is predominantly Northumberland glass, involving a variety of clear textured glass and including a seedy antique glass which a further link to the adjoining Evetts window. Two clear crowns of Danish glass in the shaped heads of the outer lights have been specially made and donated by Charlie Meaker (who runs the hot glass department of the Danmarks Designskole) in his studio at Bornholm. It is necessary that as much light as possible should be let into the Cathedral on this north side. Christ in St. John’s Gospel describes himself as “The Light of the World”. The use of varied glass assists this in an interesting way.”