Triple Light East Window

Original to the church building. In memory of James McIsaac, a former, long serving Provost of Saltcoats and Parish Church Elder. The window was designed by Percy Bacon, well known for his many magnificent windows.

This is a typical window of the period and contains stained glass which, although attractive, does not embody the same vivid coloured glass of the smaller side windows. It seems likely that lighter colouring was selected at the time of construction and this, combined with more translucent surrounds, makes for a less striking window, thus allowing a better light within the chancel.

The leaded glass depicts a centre panel showing the ascended Christ as King, robed in scarlet and replete with orb and sceptre. The lower part of the panel is the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane. Figures of St Peter and St Luke form the two side panels.

During 1948 the church was greatly enhanced by a scheme of stained glass windows carried out in the south and north aisles, by Mr William Wilson,R.S.A., R.S.W., of Edinburgh. The subject of the scheme is the Life of Christ, in fifteen representative scenes; and it has been so reverently, imaginatively, and originally treated, that in the opinion of those competent to judge, who have visited the church to view the windows, the work definitely establishes Mr Wilson in the front rank of British stained glass artists.

The scheme is as follows:-

South Aisle

1 TheAdoration of the Magi. In one panel, the Virgin Mother, robed in pale blue, is seated with the Infant Jesus on her knee. Joseph stands behind her, holding a lamp. In the other panel are the Magi, carrying their gifts in chaste caskets. The artist has followed the tradition by making one of them dark-skinned.

2(a) Jesus as a boy in the Temple, discoursing with the doctors. Inset above, Joseph and Mary are seen entering the Temple in search of the child.
(b) The Baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan.

3(a) The Good Samaritan.
(b) Jesus calling the children unto Him.

4(a)The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter. This is one of the most beautiful panels in the whole scheme, The composition is cleverly conceived; each of the four faces is a study in individual expression - that of Jairus showing startled bewilderment; that of the mother, the strain of sleepless vigil; that of the child, bemused wonder; that of Jesus, a mingled tenderness and authority. The colour scheme is exceedingly rich.
(b) The Stilling of the Tempest. The subject was chosen because of Saltcoats’ association with the sea. The whole picture is vividly alive and tense.

The colour tones in these windows in the south aisle have been kept generally subdued, in order to leave the deeper reds, blues. purples, and greens for the Passion windows in the north aisle.