St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth
Address
Cathedral Church of St Ninian, North Methven St, Perth PH1 5PPOverview
A large building in decorated gothic style by William Butterfield. The stained glass of the nave windows present an extensive and competent scheme by Burlison & Grylls, within which the Kinnoull Memorial window in the south wall of the nave is a curiosity. The 12th Earl of Kinnoull, one of the founders of the nave (completed in 1890), is portrayed as Lazarus, complete with dark moustache, while his wife and children make up the other figures.
Highlight
East windowArtist, maker and date
Designed by William Butterfield and made by Alexander Gibbs, 1877Reason for highlighting
This is a fine window, perhaps the best in the cathedral. The design is by the architect, William Butterfield, and depicts verses from the Book of Revelation.
Although the stained glass was made by Alexander Gibbs, who had become Butterfields favoured glass maker after Butterfield fell out with Hardman c.1860, it is Butterfield’s influence that predominates. Gibbs acting as a faithful interpreter of Butterfield’s wishes.
Artist/maker notes
Alexander Gibbs (1832-1886) was born into a family of stained glass artists. He established his own business in London in 1858 and it was still operating in 1915, nearly 30 years after his death.
Sources:
Victorian Stained Glass by Martin Harrison (Barrie & Jenkins, 1980)
A detailed history of St Ninian’s Cathedral 1847-1914 – published on the cathedral website
William Butterfield (1814-1900) was one of the great Gothic revivalist architects, and although born into a non-conformist family became associated with the High Church Oxford Movement.
Sources:
William Butterfield on Wikipedia
William Butterfield by Paul Thompson (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1971)
Butterfield Revisited by P. Howell & A. Saint (eds.), (Victorian Society, 2017)
Comments by
Iain Galbraith and Peter Hildebrand