Stained glass has been used since medieval times, to beautify churches and depict stories from the scriptures. And it is often a feature of private houses — perhaps incorporating a coat of arms.

Today, specialist craftsman David Lloyd Williams, of Cotswold Stained Glass and Leaded Lights, finds his commissions continue this tradition, with his time divided between ecclesiastical and domestic projects.

Mr Williams, 58, says he did not set out to be a stained glass artist, but had always wished to follow an artistic career. He lives at Bledington, near Chipping Norton, but originally lived in Oxford, near his wife Jennifer’s parents.

He said: “That was fortunate, as Oxfordshire has a great heritage of stained glass work.

“At that time I intended to apply to the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, but eventually I decided to get a job as, having a young daughter, we wanted to save up to buy a property.

“I was working at Oxford Polytechnic, now Oxford Brookes University, where I was able to try out various crafts, such as weaving and batik.

“Then, by accident, I came across a book that had been sent in on stained glass. I looked through it and saw that it included details of a course.”

The course was at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, then in Oxford. Mr Williams was able to enrol as a part-time student, so he could continue with his job.

He said: “I just took to stained glass work, it came naturally to me. Having done other crafts before, I knew this would suit me best. I loved stained glass anyway, and its possibilities.

“It is certainly restrictive in terms of materials, in comparison with drawing and painting, so you have to adapt your ideas. But the end results are striking and beautiful.

“I was at the centre for a year, and then I set up business in a workshop in Kingham. By that time I was also renovating a country cottage to be our home and, from then on, I got various commissions.”

He has designed windows for ecclesiastical buildings, including a chapel in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Methodist Church at North Leigh.

“That was for the Millennium. The design chosen was not religious but one based on nature. It has a plaque, with my name as the craftsman,” he said.

The window was much appreciated by the congregation. At its dedication, the design was displayed in duplicate — a church member had made a replica in sugarcraft.

Mr Williams said: “I enjoy working on abstract designs but I don’t often get the opportunity, as people tend to prefer traditional ideas.”

However, he had the opportunity to work in both styles when designing windows for two houses in Oxford. One householder preferred an abstract design, and the other a more traditional theme of roses.

Working with stained glass may be thought of as something that cannot be hurried — but there was one occasion when time was very much of the essence.

Mr Williams was asked to design and install a window in a house near Banbury by a man who wanted it as a surprise anniversary present for his wife. It was another rose design, this time for a circular widow.

“I was working against the clock when I installed it, as the client’s wife was due back in a couple of hours,” he recalled.

The window was completed on time, and the client later called to say his wife was delighted with her surprise.

Another interesting commission was to reproduce a painting of irises in stained glass for a Cotswold country cottage.

This involved scaling up — the painting measured about six inches by two inches, and the window six feet by two-and-a-half feet.

When a design is being transferred to glass, it is cut into individual pieces to produce the final image and then these are assembled.

“It’s a little bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle,” said Mr Williams.

Once painted, the glass is fired. Everything has to fit precisely before the final soldering on both sides of the glass, and cementing with a special putty.

Repairs, particularly to windows in churches, represent a large proportion of his work, as movement over time can loosen the sections.

Recent repairs for Oxfordshire churches have included those at Little Coxwell and Great Coxwell, near Faringdon.

To promote his business, Mr Williams has been a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen, and sometimes takes exhibition stands at shows. He considers time at such events well spent.

“I can take my current work with me and carry on with it while the visitors are looking around, so it is not taking too much time out of my schedule,” he said.

When he is discussing a project with a new client, he brings books of designs and his box of colour-coded glass.

By seeing these different coloured samples held up to the light, clients can easily visualise how they would like their own window to look.