Crathie Kirk, Aberdeenshire
Address
Crathie Kirk, Crathie, Ballater, Aberdeenshire AB35 5ULRecommended by
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Five single light windowsArtist, maker and date
Designed by Robert Anning Bell and made by J&W Guthrie, 1895Reason for highlighting
It may have been thought a bold move by Guthries to employ and English born and trained artist, lacking experience of working in stained glass for such a prestigious location. Yet the innate talent of this special artist shines through in a set of windows that demonstrate a Scottish sensibility and a successful adaptation to the particular requirement of leaded glass. His work here would be followed by numerous other commissions for Guthries.
Artist/maker notes
Robert Anning Bell (1863-1933) was a British painter, sculptor, designer, illustrator, and teacher. He was born in London and trained with his uncle’s architectural practice, at Westminster College, the Royal Academy Schools and the studio of Aimé Morot (1850-1913) in Paris. Later he combined his design work with teaching, including time at the Glasgow School of Art and Royal College of Art.
Sources:
Robert Anning Bell on Wikipedia
Windows on Crathie by Douglas Morgan (Arabesque Publications, 2011)
J. & W. Guthrie was the most important and prolific of the new studios to emerge in Glasgow in the 1880s. The brothers, John (1849-1915) and William (1850-1897), both trained at the Glasgow School of Art and formed a partnership c.1874, following on from the firm of painters and decorators founded by their father John Guthrie Sr. (1823-1875) in 1850. They began making stained glass c.1884, using a variety of designers.
Source: Scotland’s Stained Glass Making the colours sing by Michael Donnelly (Historic Scotland, 1977)
Other comments
This ancient Kirk has been linked with the Royal Family from when Queen Victoria came to the church in 1848 on coming to Balmoral. Since then the custom has been for members of the Royal Family and their guests to worship in the church. The current building was dedicated in 1895.
Further stained glass was added later in the 19th century and early 20th century by Clayton & Bell. More recent additions in very different styles include a bold and dramatic Moses window, 1956, by R Douglas McLundie of Abbey Studio, and most recently, a window by Jennifer-Jane Bayliss, St John’s eagle, 2011, to honour the Revd. Keith Angus, who was the Queen’s Chaplain from 1979 to 1996.