![Eastern Daily Press: The stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral, created by George Hedgeland who emigrated to Australia. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: The stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral, created by George Hedgeland who emigrated to Australia. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
The stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral, created by George Hedgeland who emigrated to Australia. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
The drawing was hidden in a trunk in Western Australia before the research work of writer David Berwick led him to find the designer's great-grandson.
The drawing by George Caleb Hedgeland was inherited by Bill Bennit, his great-grandson, and had been untouched in his attic for more than 50 years.
Mr Bennit said: "When I first saw the drawings, I thought he was an amateur artist that went around painting different stain glass windows.
"When David got in touch with me I couldn't believe what they were, I had no idea."
![Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. He holds half of an original artwork of the design. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. He holds half of an original artwork of the design. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. He holds half of an original artwork of the design. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
The full story about the drawings was uncovered after Mr Berwick's research led him to explore Mr Hedgeland's life after moving to Australia in 1859.
Mr Berwick, who is a volunteer guide at Norwich Cathedral, said: "In late December 2018, whilst researching the history of our west window from ca. 1449-1995, I fortuitously made contact with a librarian in Sydney who had researched Hedgeland's life in Australia.
She put me in touch with Bill Bennit of Perth, who is George Hedgeland's great-grandson.
"I discovered that Mr Bennit had inherited a trunk of artwork and drawings from his great-grandfather, and some of these were of stained glass windows.
![Eastern Daily Press: Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
"Eventually we discovered that one of the colour drawings was of the top portion of our west window. This artwork had remained hidden in the trunk for 164 years, since 1854."
Following the discovery, Mr Bennit has decided to gift the drawing of the west window to Norwich Cathedral.
On Tuesday, Mr Bennit and his partner Elaine visited Norwich Cathedral to donate and hand over the artwork and see the west window for the first time.
Mr Bennit said: "It is wonderful to see the window in person, I felt a real connection to it straight away. Just being able to touch it gave me a lot of emotion."
![Eastern Daily Press: George Hedgeland's name in the corner of the West Window stained glass at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: George Hedgeland's name in the corner of the West Window stained glass at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
George Hedgeland's name in the corner of the West Window stained glass at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
The rest of the artwork found was donated to The Stained Glass Museum at Ely Cathedral.
Mr Berwick's book, The west window in Norwich Cathedral (1450-1995) - A colourful history will be released on July 24.
![Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Australian Bill Bennit takes a close look at the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral which was designed by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland, reflected in the mirror. With him is Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland, reflected in the mirror. With him is Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland, reflected in the mirror. With him is Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: The top half of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: The top half of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
The top half of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half of an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. With him from left, his partner Elaine Steele, researcher David Berwick, and Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half of an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. With him from left, his partner Elaine Steele, researcher David Berwick, and Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Australian Bill Bennit, left, at Norwich Cathedral with half of an original design artwork for the stained glass West Window by his great grandfather, George Hedgeland. With him from left, his partner Elaine Steele, researcher David Berwick, and Rev Dr Peter Doll, Canon Librarian. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Part of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Part of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Part of the design artwork for the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral by George Hedgeland who created the window. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY]( "Eastern Daily Press: Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY")
Part of the stained glass West Window at Norwich Cathedral. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)
![Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Cathedral,]( "Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Cathedral,")
Norwich Cathedral, (Image: (c) copyright newzulu.com)
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