BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON
HISTORIC CHURCHES
21ST ANNUAL EDITION
5
produced designs for the other windows, and
discussions continued between Strachan and
Principal Hetherington throughout the 1940s,
these were to be his final contributions to
the decoration of the chapel. Other stained
glass artists completed the programme in a
variety of styles in the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
‘You once expressed the hope that I “would
give you something as good as the S[cottish]
N[ational] War Memorial window scheme”. With
a scheme such as the proposed plan submitted
herewith I can quite definitely promise you
something better’. These were Strachan’s words
to Principal Rait in December 1930. Sadly,
Strachan only lived to finish nine of the projected
18 windows in the Memorial Chapel at Glasgow,
but his genius is amply displayed in these
outstanding examples of the art of stained glass.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge
the assistance of Elizabeth Cumming,
Lesley Richmond (Archivist and Deputy
Director of the Library, University of Glasgow),
Stuart MacQuarrie (Chaplain, University of
Glasgow), Elizabeth McCrone (Head of Listing,
Historic Scotland), Shona Elliott (Curator
for Documentation and Fine Art, University
of Aberdeen Museums), Vanessa Stephen,
Margaret Taylor, and Nigel Wallace.
Recommended Reading
A Carruthers, The Arts and Crafts Movement in
Scotland: A History, Yale University Press,
New Haven, 2013
P Cormack, ‘In Praise of Douglas Strachan
(1875–1950)’ in The Journal of Stained
Glass, vol XXX, BSMGP, London, 2006
E Cumming, Hand, Heart and Soul: the Arts
and Crafts Movement in Scotland, Birlinn,
Edinburgh, 2006
M Donnelly, Scotland’s Stained Glass – Making
the Colours Sing, The Stationery Office,
Edinburgh, 1997
J MacDonald, Visions Through Glass: The Work
of Douglas Strachan, Crawford Arts Centre,
St Andrews, 2002
D Macmillan, Scotland’s Shrine: The Scottish
National War Memorial, Lund Humphries,
London, 2014
AC Russell, Stained Glass Windows of
Douglas Strachan, 3rd edition, Pinkfoot
Press, Balgavies, 2002
NICK HAYNES
MA IHBC is a freelance
historic environment consultant, architectural
:
An Architectural History of the University
of Glasgow
(Historic Scotland, 2013).
(Right) St Columba (west window, light 2, 1931–7), gifted by Lady Mechin and (above) detail showing the meeting
of Saints Columba and Kentigern at the Molendinar Burn
