Our first Symposium of 2026 was held in the Robin Chapel in the Craigmillar area of Edinburgh on 27th March.
We were warmly welcomed by the Chaplain, Rev Dr Iain Barclay, who started the day by describing the founding and ongoing work of the Thistle Foundation, which is a Scottish charity originally set up by Sir Francis and Lady Tudsbery to support disabled ex-servicemen, and now helping all sorts of people with long-term health conditions to live their best lives. The Robin Chapel is at the heart of the Foundation and was built as a memorial to Robin Tudsbery, the only son of the founders. It is a wonderful example of Scottish Arts & Crafts architecture, famous for its interdenominational worship, its wonderful music and its superlative stained glass.
The East window shows a soldier in a horsedrawn chariot being received into heaven. Below is a simple soldier’s grave with the inscription “Lt R E S TUDSBERY FIRST HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY REGT Killed in Action 30.4.45” and his date of birth and death, along with heraldry of his family and regiment. This and all the windows of the Chapel are by one of Scotland’s greatest stained glass artists, Sadie McLellan.
We also saw the framed design for this window. It was a little sad to see that the robins decorating the border, which are so clear in the design, are partially obscured by the heavy metalwork supporting the window, although given the weight of lead and slab glass and the width of the opening, such strong support is essential.
Our Secretary, Rona Moody, then gave us an informative and detailed talk “Sadie McLellan in Context”, beginning with her upbringing on the west coast of Scotland in a family steeped in art, music and literature. We heard how she travelled and studied abroad as well as in Scotland, and then decided to work mainly in stained glass, where she became a unique and determined voice in Scottish art. Although not many other artists in Scotland followed her lead, she championed dalle de verre as well as the more traditional lead glass. Fiercely independent, she usually worked without assistants, so her input is small but hugely important. A fuller account can be found on our blog.
For our third talk of the morning our Chair, Susan Bradbury, highlighted the main event in each of the nine windows that tell the story of Pilgrim’s Progress, the allegorical tale of Pilgrim striving to reach the celestial city. Susan had conserved some of these windows around twenty years ago and she described some of the symbolism of the windows and some of the techniques used.
Starting with the easternmost window on the north side and moving clockwise around the Chapel, these are the most vibrant details, which during our visit were lit with glorious sunshine.
1. Pilgrim staring at the Crucifixion, with below an inscription reading “STRAIT IS THE GATE THAT LEADETH UNTO LIFE AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT”. He carries a backpack representing the Burden of Sin.
2. The second window shows what is possibly the most familiar theme of Pilgrim’s Progress, The Slough of Despond, from which Pilgrim only escapes when “A MAN WHOSE NAME WAS HELP GAVE HIM HIS HAND AND DREW HIM OUT”. Among the crisply stylised waves, Sadie shows us the traveller who succumbed to despondency.
3. Pilgrim is still dragged down by the Burden of Sin. He is seeking “AN INHERITANCE UNDEFILED” and is harangued by an angry crowd. Sadie’s faces are always clearly drawn; here we see one calm and one puzzled onlooker, and one distinctly red in the face angry mobster.
4. Pilgrim is fitted for his journey with sword, shield and armour, by the angels Piety, Charity and Prudence, whose faces are serene and beautiful.
5. Pilgrim is using his newly gained armour to combat Apollyon, a green demonic figure familiar to many stained glass buffs as it is featured on the cover of Michael Donnelly’s book “Scotland’s Stained Glass. “Less well known is the fact that Apollyon is a biblical figure, referred to in the book of Mical (Ch 7 v 8-10).
6. Pilgrim is tried in the town of Vanity, and Sadie has created a magnificently fearsome judge.
7. Pilgrim says “I HAVE A KEY IN MY BOSOM CALLED PROMISE THAT WILL I AM PERSUADED OPEN ANY LOCK”. He is shown with key in hand, stepping over sleeping figures to escape from the Doubting Castle of Giant Despair.
8. A stunningly imaginative admonition to “BEWARE THE DOUBLE-FACED FLATTERER – A MAN THAT FLATTERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR SPREADETH A NET FOR HIS FEET”
9. And finally, Pilgrim arrives at the celestial city where he is greeted with bells and trumpets.
You can find out more about Sadie McLellan, the artist who created these wonderful windows, on our blog.
