St Andrew’s Cathedral, Inverness, Highland
Address
Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Ardross Street, Inverness IV3 5NNOverview
The building was designed by a local architect, Alexander Ross. It opened for services in 1869 and was consecrated in 1874.
The stained glass is by Hardman & Co, one of the leading Victorian studios, and shows the firm at its best. The designs are in bright colours, clearly drawn and of archaic appearance. Biblical scenes abound, for example, the nave window of the Good Samaritan (1869-70), with his elegant donkey, which has balletic grace!
Highlight
Great west windowArtist, maker and date
Hardman & Co, 1887Reason for highlighting
The great west window is an excellent example of the work of the Hardman Studio. The central image is of Christ Enthroned in Glory and below the Judgement of the Wicked with the fires of hell burning fiercely, while angels of the Last Judgement blow on long trumpets. Dramatic indeed.
Artist/maker notes
Hardman & Co. was founded in 1838 to manufacture ecclesiastical metal work to the designs of AWN Pugin (1812-52), who encouraged the firm’s expansion into stained glass in 1845. Pugin acted as its chief designer until his death, when he was succeeded by his nephew John Hardman Powell.
John Hardman Powell (1827-95) a deeply religious Roman Catholic, was trained as an apprentice by Pugin. A rare privilege given Pugin’s reluctance to employ clerks or take on pupils. The Hardman firm continued to flourish under his leadership, due in part to the individual attention given to commissions and the originality of each design, a contrast to other firms that would often reuse designs numerous times.
Sources:
Hardman of Birmingham, Goldsmith and Glasspainter by Michael Fisher (Landmark Publishing, 2008)
The Stained Glass of John Hardman and Company under the leadership of John Hardman Powell from 1867 to 1895 by Mathé Shepheard, which can be downloaded as a 3 volume PDF Hardman Powell PDF
Comments by
Iain Galbraith and Peter Hildebrand