Edinburgh: Morningside Parish Church of Scotland, South Nave

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Window of one trefoil headed lancet light.

This window depicts the figure of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux holding the Scripture in his left hand and raising his right hand in a blessing. He is surrounded by multicoloured flying birds, with one perched on his shoulder.

Inscription:
‘St. Bernard of Clairvaux’

McCartney wrote at the time, “I here represent St Bernard turning to welcome the congregation as they enter the Kirk,... He has a book in one hand and points heavenward with the other. In front of him spiral seven doves representing the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (shown in the seven colours of the spectrum). These colours, when spun together, turn into white light...” (the colour of St Bernard’s Cistercian habit). Texts informing this window include, ‘The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’, and a reference to the gifts of the spirit of the Lord, such as wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord."

Artist/Designer:
Crear McCartney: (1931- 2016) was born in Symington, South Lanarkshire. He served his National Service in the Royal Air Force and then studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1950-1955. His desire to learn the art of Stained Glass reintroduced the teaching of Stained Glass at GSA at the time. His tutor there, whom he admired greatly as an artist, teacher and human being, was Walter Pritchard, who later married Sadie McLellan. She also became an outstanding stained glass artist in her own right. From 1955 to 1959/60, McCartney managed the stained glass Studio in Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin, and after teacher training in Aberdeen taught art first in Elgin Academy (1961-64) and then in Lesmahagow as Head of Art until about 1987. From then on he became a full-time freelance stained glass artist based at Wiston and working from various studios in and around South Lanarkshire. He estimated that he had done 112 commissions (many with multiple lights) by the time of his last commission in 2008 at Black Mount Church, Dolphinton (which the Trust filmed as it was being made). His most acclaimed windows in this prolific career include the 750th Anniversary window in St Katherine Aisle at St Michael's Church, Linlithgow (six lancets with a rose window above), six windows in Dornoch Cathedral, and the 850th Anniversary West window in St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall.