North Aisle

Walking anti-clockwise around the church, the visitor comes next to the north aisle. The windows contain largely plain glass, however Spence included symbolism that illustrates the doctrines of the church, appropriate to the Gospel side of the nave. Each window has a border of coloured glass with panels containing a different symbol set in a prominent position. Moving from the west end towards the chancel they are: the shield of St George, the key of St Peter, a scroll with a fish, the IHS monogram, a ship, three fish, the fruit and the serpent, the martyr's crown and olive branches.

Wood panel paintings

 

Worthy of particular note are the five painted panels at the east end of the wooden dado. These were always thought to be the work of Charles William Mitchell (who assisted in the design of the interior decoration), but when these panels were cleaned recently, the initials of T R Spence were discovered. These figures are a clear indication of the influence of the pre-Raphaelite movement on Spence who trained and exhibited as an artist before studying architecture.

The north wall contains two memorial tablets:

  • The first was erected to the memory of parishioners killed in the First World War and is by Johnson.
  • The second is by the influential British sculptor Sir George Frampton (1860-1928), perhaps now more famous for his statue of Peter Pan in South Kensington Gardens, London, and is in memory of the benefactor of the church, Charles Mitchell. The Mitchell memorial incorporates his coat of arms and figures of St Andrew (curiously carrying a shield with Arms of Newcastle) and St George; between these figures are representations of Art, Energy, Truth, Charity and Science. On either side of the simple inscription stand angel figures worked in copper and standing in ships. The right hand figure holds a model of St George's Church and the other a model of the Mitchell Tower and Graduation Hall at Aberdeen University, which were given by Mitchell to his native town. The work is indicative of the progressive artistic tastes of both Mitchells, father and son, and was greatly admired when exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1898.

World War 1 MemorialCharles Mitchell Memorial