Installing glass in heritage and ecclesiastical buildings requires a number of specialist techniques, in particular in relation to ensuring that the glass fits as closely as possible around corbels, out of true walls and hand hewn stone.

Ion Glass use computer aided laser measurement techniques for a flawless result which can be transferred directly into their drawing process for a flawless result.

The glass can be produced to sit closely around walls, minimising heat loss, draughts and sound.

At St Clement’s Church in Hastings extensive glass balustrades were installed on a mezzanine floor, fitting around the original stone arches of the church.

The glass panels around each stone arch had to be accurately templated and the glass panel cut with a computer controlled water jet for the optimum result. The glass balustrade panel sizes were selected to ensure that each cut-out was not too close to the edge of the respective panels, to avoid possible panel failure during toughening and then subsequently for that panel to align correctly with the arch across the run of balustrading. Mis-aligning a single cut out would have impacted on the entire run.

St Peter’s Church Dunchurch, full height glass screen fitting into the arch of the nave

A new lowered bell-ringing platform involved a full height glass screen fitted across the nave, partly to improve the acoustic aspects of the new installation during church services. The 13th century arch was visually symmetrical but in fact there was a 75mm difference between the two sides that was only apparent when accurate measurements were taken.

A triple panel of Planar glazing was manufactured which was a perfect fit for the arch.

St Nicolas, Great Bookham, full height glass screen to prevent heat loss

A full height glass screen was fitted across the nave of the ancient church of St Nicolas with a view to minimising heat loss. In order for the glass screen to meet the heat retention specification it was essential that it fitted very closely around the original stonework with no more than a 6mm gap. The stone itself was hand hewn several centuries ago and the surface and corbelling is both intricate and variable. Whilst visually the two sides of the arch were symmetrical in reality they were quite different.

Accurate measurement pre-manufacture ensured a result that met the specification with a glass screen that not only looks impressive but meets all visual and functional requirements.