Stained glass windows in the University of Chester's chapel has been explored in a talk and research project.

Aleta Doran, artist in residence at Chester Cathedral and student at the university, has brought the spotlight on the works of renowned female stained-glass artist Trena Cox.

Ms Doran's research, dubbed the Trena Cox Project, aims to celebrate the life of the artist who's work is in churches across the region and beyond,

Ms Cox's first known commission was situated in the University Chapel along Parkgate Road.

As part of the University's Festival of Ideas, Ms Doran will offer a free tour through Ms Cox's work in the chapel on July 5, from 2pm to 3pm.

She'll talk about her first piece plus three other windows Ms Cox crafted for the chapel.

This event anticipates an exhibition titled Trena Cox: Reflections 100, scheduled for Autumn 2024 at Chester Cathedral.

You can see her work in the chapel   (Image: University of Chester)

The Trena Cox Project has had £27,000 of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for an exhibition and programme of activities to celebrate Ms Cox in partnership with Chester Cathedral, the University and the Grosvenor Museum.

Ms Doran said: "I kept going back to this one particular image and thinking that’s such a beautiful window.

"The more I started looking into it the more I realised that although Trena Cox is known to specialists her name has been lost from the public realm.

"This seemed irresistible to me – someone who had made stained glass in Chester throughout her career and who should be part of the story of the city and the Cathedral.

"That was the start of my research and I didn’t imagine it would come to the point where I would be doing this for postgraduate study."

Professor at the University of Chester, Dr Simon Grennan, commended Aleta's work, he said: "Aleta's research demonstrates how scholarship can change the present by revealing overlooked aspects of the past.

"Trena Cox's work is a treasure, newly revealed by Aleta's diligent and inspirational work."

Born in 1895, Ms Cox studied art at the Laird School of Art in Birkenhead before moving to Chester in 1924.

For more information you can visit https://chestercathedral.com/news/cathedral-to-host-first-exhibition-exploring-the-legacy-of-chesters-renowned-woman-stained-glass-artist.