Renovation of Tudor chapel at The Vyne begins

A young King Henry VIII is depicted on one of the windows

A project to refit the corroding stained glass windows of a Tudor property in Hampshire has begun.

Eighteen windows from the chapel at The Vyne in Sherborne St John are being removed, cleaned and re-fitted with state-of-the-art protective glazing.

House steward Dominique Shembry called it a "unique and very exciting conservation project".

The windows include an image of Henry VIII, who stayed at the house with both Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

Catherine is also depicted on another of the deteriorating windows, as is Henry's sister Margaret.

The house was owned at the time by the Lord Chamberlain, William Sandys.

Stained glass specialist Holy Well Glass is temporarily replacing the window spaces with clear glass showing lead tracings of the original images.

Mr Shembry added: "We'll be giving visitors the chance to experience our chapel as it's never been seen before, and to talk to stained glass specialists as they carry out the work ahead of the return of the glass in a few months' time."

Art historian Horace Walpole once described the chapel at The Vyne as "the most heavenly chapel in all the world".

Eighteen windows from the chapel at The Vyne in Sherborne St John are being removed

Horace Walpole once described the chapel as "the most heavenly chapel in all the world"