23. NORTH TRANSEPT WINDOW TA
The North transept window is dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Henry MacNamara, Bishop Forbes’s successor at St Paul’s Church from 1875 to his death in 1885. •• The window is composed of four tall lights, each divided into three sections. It was installed in 1887. The upper section depicts four saints of the Early Church: Saints Chrysostom and Basil of the Eastern Church; and Saints Augustine and Ambrose of the Western Church. The central section shows ‘four representative saints of Great Britain’, linking together our national history. From left these are: St. David, King of Scotland, 1124-1153, holding Brechin Cathedral, which he founded; St Columba, the Irish missionary, dressed as Abbot of Iona, 563; St. Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1042-1066, holding St John’s ring; and St. Cuthbert, Prior of Melrose Abbey and Bishop of Lindisfarne (c.635-687), holding the crowned head of King Oswald of Northumbria (c.604-642). The lower section illustrates incidents in the lives of the principal figures above. David is shown distributing alms; Columba is preaching to the Picts; Edward the Confessor is receiving St John’s ring from pilgrims; and Cuthbert is declining the offer of the See of Lindisfarne. •• The tracery above the main window features Christian imagery relating to the Crucifixion and the Holy Eucharist. [Photo credit: alibatty]
24. CLOCK, AUMBRY AND SANCTUARY LAMP GSV GSV
On the wall beneath the South transept window hang a clock, (a crucifix), an aumbry, and a sanctuary lamp. These may each have a history, but there are no obvious records. The aumbry is a little lockable cupboard which would be used for holding Blessed Elements of the Eucharist; the sanctuary lamp then indicates the presence of the Elements. [Photo1 credit: David Striker; Photo2 credit: Elizabeth]
25. ST ROQUE’S CHAPEL GSV GSV
Against the East wall of the North transept stands an altar with a colourful altarpiece behind it. [Photo1 credit: Elizabeth; Photo2 credit: Sergio Ferroli]
26. CHAPEL AND ALTAR PIECE GSV GSV
We learn that this is St Roque’s Chapel. The altar piece has a crucifixion scene at centre with Jesus’ mother Mary and St John the Evangelist standing by. Then to the left is St Roque with his staff and dog, and to the right St Paul with a sword. The text at right tells the interesting story of St Roque, and of how the altarpiece came to be installed in this Cathedral. [Photo1 credit: Mauro Martini; Photo2 credit: Elizabeth]
28. STURROCK MEMORIAL GSV TA
The East wall of the South transept is taken up with an arch which in fact leads through to the Lady Chapel, and a high memorial plaque in memory of John Sturrock (1778 – 1868), and his wife Kristian Kroshy. John was Honorary Treasurer of St Paul’s for 68 years. [Photo1 credit: CBitNaHa MyKaceeeBa; Photo2 credit: Axel K]
29. SOUTH TRANSEPT WINDOW TA
This window is dedicated to the memory of Daniel Bower Mitchell, 1846-1874, who was the voluntary Choirmaster of St Paul’s Church under Bishop Forbes. However, while climbing on Ben More at New Year,1874, Daniel Mitchell slipped on frozen snow and fell to his death. As the memorial brass plate below the window records, he was ‘suddenly cut off in the flower of his age’, leaving a widow and young children. •• The main subject of the large, four-light window is a series of scenes from the life of our patron, St Paul. In chronological order these are: the stoning of St Stephen; the Conversion of St. Paul; Ananias giving sight to the convert; divine honours offered at Lystra; St Paul’s deliverance from prison; before Felix, the governor; shipwreck on journey to Rome; St Paul’s martyrdom in Rome, AD 64. In tribute to Daniel Mitchell, the upper part of the window is full of musical imagery, the heavenly host praising God with voice and instruments, and the figures of King David of Israel with his harp and St. Cecilia, patron saint of music and musicians. [Photo credit: alibatty]
30. SOUTH NAVE WALL GSV
We now look back along the windows of the South nave wall. There are other items on this wall too. We note the large white memorial at left. [Photo credit: Elizabeth]
31. PATRICK CHALMERS MEMORIAL TA GSV
The history of the development of the postage stamp is very interesting. It appears that James Chalmers (1782 – 1853) of Dundee invented the adhesive postage stamp, but was not given due credit. The fight for recognition was taken up by his son Patrick. Today, references to James Chalmers talk about him being ‘often credited’ with the invention. On the other hand, there appear to be no other contenders. [Photo1 credit: Axel K]
32. SOUTHEAST NAVE GSV
The South nave wall has a fine array of stained glass windows. The first fourteen stained glass windows which were installed were all paid for by individual contributions. Some of these were paid for by members of the congregation, others by wealthy friends of Bishop Forbes. [Photo credit: Aimee Van-Asten]
33. SOUTH NAVE WINDOWS I TA TA
The two Easternmost windows on the South wall show scenes from the life of Christ. So in the left window we have: the Nativity, the boy Jesus teaching in the Temple, and Jesus working with Joseph in the carpenter's workshop. The window at right shows: the baptism of Jesus, Jesus praying (in the Garden of Gethsemane?), and Jesus healing. [Photos1,2 credit: alibatty ]
34. SOUTH NAVE GSV GSV
There are various paintings along the South wall, and a couple of notice boards. [Photo credit: Banjamin Kornelis; Photo2 credit: Duncan Strathie]
35. SOUTHWEST NAVE GSV
Looking to the Southwest nave, we see (parts of!) the remaining two ot the four South nave windows, and also the window on the West wall which we have already noted. [Photo credit: Rebecca Huang]
36. SOUTH NAVE WINDOWS II TA TA
These last two three-light South nave windows show scenes from the life of Christ. From left we have: the wedding at Cana – turning water into wine; pulling in the abundance of fish; Jesus healing the paralytic man at Capernaum; Jesus with Mary and Martha? ; Jesus teaching about little children; Jesus and the woman at the well. [Photo1 credit: alibatty; Photo credit: Axel K]
37. BAPTISMAL FONT GSV TA
Leaving the Southern aisle, we walk across the back of the nave towards the Western entry doors. Here we find a large square baptismal font. The font is situated near the entrance, in accordance with Christian tradition. The stonework on the pedestal of the font is of historical interest, incorporating a fragment from the twelfth century Lindores Abbey in Fife. In 1854, while St Paul’s Church was under construction, the Rev. Dr Anderson, the parish minister at Newburgh, wrote to Bishop Forbes offering him a carved stone, which was lying in the manse garden, and believed to be from Lindores. George Gilbert Scott was consulted, and he designed the remaining stonework, elaborate top section and baptismal basin to ‘match’ the medieval carving. An 1887 Guide to St Paul’s Church commented on the religious significance of the Lindores carving: ‘There is much teaching in this relic of the past; it is a link with the ancient Church, continuity with which is our precious heritage. We baptise here upon the old foundation’. [Photo1 credit: David Striker; Photo2 credit: Axel K]
38. CHANCEL TA
Leaving the font, we walk down the central aisle to stand in front of the chancel. There is much richness for us to examine here, but first we turn to the pulpit on our right. [Photo credit: alibatty]
39. PULPIT GSV GSV
The carved stone heads on the lower part of the pulpit represent the Four Evangelists, Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The canopy or ‘sounding board’ over the pulpit is made of cedar wood, from the Invergowrie estate of Alexander Clayhills. Alexander Clayhills, of Invergowrie House, donated the pulpit and supported the effort to clear debts and furnish St Paul’s Church, enabling its Consecration on All Saints Day, 1865. Clayhills died shortly before the Consecration and was commemorated at this event as ‘a munificent contributor to the Church, a complete gentleman, and a kind landlord to his tenantry’. [Photo1 credit: David Striker; Photo2 credit: Peter White]
40. LADY CHAPEL 360 360
On our left, just past the pulpit is the Lady Chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. There is a fine mosaic over the altar depicting the Annunciation, together with a small shrine to the Virgin. The altar was brought from the former St Paul’s Chapel in Castle Street. When St Paul’s Church opened for worship in 1855, there was no Lady Chapel. There was an open space here, used as a clergy vestry and separated from the Chancel and choir stalls by a curtain. By the 1880s, this area became known as the Bishops’ Chapel, because of its windows, which are of particular historical interest. The two windows commemorate the three Bishops of Brechin who were also Incumbents of St Paul’s, depicting the arms of the See of Brechin and their respective arms and mottoes. The East window over the altar is dedicated to Bishop Alexander Forbes. [Photo Credits: 360° Geocities]