The Murals - The West Wall

The west wall would have faced the congregation as they left the church, providing them with an uplifting vision to carry with them through the day. The main, upper, part of the wall illustrates the second coming of Christ. Christ receives the worship of all creation and dispenses the grace and blessing of Almighty God; risen souls are greeted by ministering angels and a heavenly choir sing and play on harps and trumpets.

Within the highly decorated frieze beneath the principal scene are three medallions. The central medallion contains a depiction of the Pentecost. The medallion on the left shows a new heart being given to the people, that on the right a figure being relieved of its burden. The background shows the separation of, on the left, sheep with the Tree of Life (grapes) and the Dove of the Holy Spirit and, on the right, goats with the Tree of Knowledge (apples) with the Serpent. The inclusion of this frieze within the overall conception of the west wall links this wall firmly to the decoration of the chapel and north aisle. The stylistic link encourages the viewer to grasp fully the connection of the second coming with the significance of the narrative of the wise and foolish virgins. It also may have had a more personal resonance with the artist’s own belief in the progress of the soul.

Elizabeth Cumming has suggested the female figure in pink in the foreground of the Pentecost medallion may be a self-portrait of Phoebe Anna Traquair as Mary Magdalene.