Window

This is the remains of a glass window from Merton Priory, which was closed and demolished by King Henry VIII in 1538. When the site of Merton Priory was excavated (1986-90), this crumpled tangle of glass and lead was found in a drainage ditch among rubble and pieces of roof tile. The window probably came from the priory infirmary and must have been overlooked by the Tudor demolition gang who took most of the window lead for recycling. Lead, with its low melting point, was the most easily recycled of all metals. It was an essential ingredient in bronze casting, for making bells and canon, but also in many other products such as glass, pottery glazes, paint, drugs and cosmetics. The Dissolution of the Monasteries had a dramatic impact on the domestic and international lead market.