The Stained Glass Windows
The magnificent stained-glass window gifted by the Finnie sisters was designed by the firm of William Morris and Co. and incorporates designs by a number of his colleagues. The main feature is ‘The Last Supper’ by Henry Dearle, who took charge of the stained-glass department after the death of William Morris in 1896, and the upper parts of the window, ‘Christ in Majesty’, ‘Agnus Dei’ and the surrounding angels are all designs by Edward Burne-Jones.
These artists were all part of the Pre-Raphaelite movement which operated in England in the second half of the 19th century, and this window is a good illustration of their style. They took their inspiration from early Italian Renaissance painting and loved bright, translucent colours rather than the darker tones of the early 19th century. Religious subjects were amongst their favourites; they liked outdoor scenes and their pictures had a wealth of detail.
This attention to detail is well illustrated here. In the second panel from the left we find Judas, the man in green with his little pouch of silver fixed to his wrist. Judas was the treasurer of the twelve disciples and is often portrayed in green to depict jealousy. And is it Doubting Thomas who is looking out of the picture in the right-hand panel?
The stained-glass window in the south wall is dedicated to Rev James Gillespie and his wife and was presented to the Church in the 1950’s by their family. It is the work of Gordon Webster, one of Scotland’s foremost 20th century stained-glass artists. His particular talent lay in his sense of colour and the use of high-quality hand-blown glass. He has many windows in Churches throughout the country, including Glasgow Cathedral. The stained-glass window in the north wall upstairs is in memory of James Baird Thornycroft of Hillhouse, Deputy Lieutenant of Ayrshire.