Fabian Window, Stained glass window at London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom
The Fabian Window is a stained glass window housed in the Shaw Library at the London School of Economics in London, created in 1910 for the Fabian Society. It shows a group of figures, including Sidney Webb and Edward Pease, symbolically hammering the world into a new shape.
Caroline Townshend made the window in 1910 from a design by George Bernard Shaw, originally commissioned for the Fabian Society. It passed through several locations before arriving at the London School of Economics, where it has been on permanent display since a restoration in 2006.
The window shows figures hammering the world into a new shape, which was a direct expression of the Fabian Society's belief in gradual, planned change. This image of reformers at work gives visitors a clear sense of how the group saw itself and its mission.
The window is on permanent display in the Shaw Library at the London School of Economics, but access may vary depending on the university's schedule and events. It is worth checking ahead of your visit to confirm opening hours and any entry requirements for non-students.
The window contains an image of a wolf in sheep's clothing, a reference to an earlier version of the design that Shaw later revised. It also shows H.G. Wells turning away from the other figures, a detail that records a real internal conflict within the group that was rarely discussed openly at the time.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
