The Martyr's window. This window was installed in 1909 and was created by Jones and Willis. It's original inscription read "Jane Cleland Burns, 2nd dau. of the first Baron Inverclyde or Castle Wemyss. Born 7th July 1865, fell asleep in Jesus 13th July 1909. 'Her courage and joyous spirit through much suffering and her ready sympathy left a noble example.' This window is placed here by her sister Mary Hay Corfield and her brother-in-law Claud Evelyn Lacy Corfield rector of this parish." This was originally on the North side of the church but could not be kept in its position during the 1982 rebuild. It had its lower and upper section removed and was replaced in the clerestory section of the church.

Featured are Saints Stephen, James, Peter, Jude, Thomas, Edmund, St Lawrence with his gridiron on the left hand light, St Catherine with her wheel in the foreground of the right hand light (the wheel can just be made out under her right arm). St Elizabeth of Hungary is behind St Catherine - one of the legends about St Elizabeth is that she was going to be in trouble with her husband for giving bread to the poor at which point the bread turned to roses in her apron - as shown in the window. To their right is St Martin shown dividing his cloak to give half away, and behind them in the centre of the back row is St Andrew bearing a cross.

Each of the saints are holding a palm branch to symbolise victory, and the angels above them bear the banner declaring "These are they who have come out of great tribulation."

Thanks to Jennypeg for the following extracts from the Heanor Observer :

30th April 1909
The Rector and the Hon. Mrs Corfield have been staying for a week at the Royal Bath Hotel Bournemouth along with the Hon. Jane Burns, who has just returned from Biarritz.

16th July 1909
In consequence of the death of the Hon. Jane Burns the Hon. Mrs Corfield and her little daughter are staying at Castle Wemyss, and will not take part in the Parish Sunday school Demonstration tomorrow week. Several of the assistant clergy being at present on holiday, the Rector will return to conduct service, on Sunday along with the Rev. John Alban of Ross, Herefordshire.

PUBLIC NOTICES - HEANOR PARISH CHURCH
Sunday March 6th 1910 " Dedication of New Window Holy communion 8am At the morning service 10.45 The Rector will preach and dedicated the new window of the Hon. Jane C. Burns 6.30 The Rev. C. H. N. Ivens (the new curate)"

10th March 1910 " Window dedication At the Parish Church
The beautiful stained glass window erected in the North wall of the Parish Church in memory of the late Hon. Jane C. Burns was dedicated at morning service on Sunday. The Rector the Rev. C. H. N. Ivens the churchwardens (Messrs H. J. Windle and C. J. Stone), and the choir marched up the north aisle to the window singing the Hymn “For all the saints who from their labours rest” After dedicatory prayers had been said, the ordinary service was proceeded with, and the Rector in an appropriate sermon, explained the meaning of the window, which represents the victory of the saints over suffering he referred by means of extracts from speeches and quotations from newspapers, to the love and esteem in which Miss Burns had been held by all who knew her, and more especially by the sick and poor of Glasgow. Her nine long years of illness were sympathetically touched upon, and extracts from letters written by the deceased lady showed her love and in nature, and showed her courage under the affliction of ill health. That courage, said the rector was not a cold hard stoical courage it was combined with a tender regard for the convenience of others. She seemed to radiate sympathy, and when she died one wrote, “The poor crippled children of Glasgow have lost their best friend” The motto of her house was “Ever Ready”. And she was ever ready with her help and sympathy in every good object.
The window bears the inscription “To the glory of God, and in loving memory of Jane Cleland Burns, second daughter of the first Baron Inverclyde of Castle Wemyss, born July 7th 1865, fell asleep in Jesus, July 13th 1909
Her courage and joyous spirit through much suffering and her ever ready sympathy left a noble example. This window is placed here by her sister, Mary Hay Corfield, and her brother- in- law Claud Evelyn Lacey Corfield Rector of this parish.
Above the figures of the saints and Martyrs represented, is a group of angels with a scroll bearing the inscription “These are they which came out of great tribulation”"

To see this window as it would have looked prior to the rebuild please click here, thanks to the Heanor and District historical Society & Brian Key for the origional image that the update has been superimposed onto.