Henry Gyles

Who was Henry Gyles?

Henry Gyles or Giles, was an English glass painter based in York

He was the fifth child of E[dmund?] Gyles, and resided in Micklegate, York. To him is due the revival of the art of pictorial glass painting, which had become quite extinct in England. His earliest dated window is the large west window of York Guildhall at York. His best known work is the east window in the chapel of University College, Oxford, presented by Dr. Radcliffe in 1687. Gyles also presented some stained glass for the hall of University College, and did works for Wadham College, Oxford, and also for Trinity College and St. Catharine's Hall at Cambridge. In 1700 he painted a large window for Lord Fairfax at Denton, Yorkshire. There were some figures painted by Gyles in the grammar school at Leeds, but these were disposed of in 1784 to a local antiquary.

Gyles was a friend and correspondent of Ralph Thoresby, the antiquary, whose diary and correspondence contain frequent allusions to him.

His declining years were marred by ill-health, discontent, and domestic dissensions. In October 1709 he died at his house in York, and was buried in the church of St. Martin-cum-Gregory. Gyles was not particularly successful in colour or design, and little of his work can now be appreciated, owing to the perishable enamels which he employed.