Corpus of Percy Bacon & Brothers

Ardleigh: Chancel painting, 1892/3.

Ardleigh: Chancel painting, 1892/3.

North sanctuary: St Irenaeus and British saints.

North sanctuary: St Irenaeus as Bishop of of Lyons.

North sanctuary: St Restitutus as Bishop of London.

North sanctuary: St David.

North sanctuary: St Columba, abbot.

North side of east window: St Aidan, with heads of Abel and St John the Baptist.

South side of east window: St Augustine as Archbishop of Canterbury. Heads of St Alban and St Stephen.

Sanctuary ceiling.

Example of Stenciling.

Names of incumbents painted on the chancel arch column.

Chancel painting. Memorial to Canon Perry. Designs by Rev Ernest Geldart. 1892.

Posted 29 October 2024.

This early work of the Bacon Studios must have been a major undertaking for the young firm. The work is a memorial to Canon R. T. Perry, late vicar at St Mary's, from designs by the reverend architect, Ernest Geldart. The scale and extent of the painting is a testament to the Rev Geldart's confidence in Percy Bacon's ability to complete such a substantial scheme. However, it has to be noted that this work seems to have been executed over a number of years, the available references suggest a start date in 1892, but not being completed until 1895.¹ If further information comes to hand this entry will be updated.

Much of the decoration is simple stencilling, inlaid with figurative panels in the sanctuary, and angels on the chancel ceiling. Each surface is covered, including the south chapel and organ recess arches, and the ceilings, the latter being divided into regular and irregular panels by moldings painted in black and white spiralling bands. One small and charming detail on the east side of the chancel arch column is a list of vicars of St Mary dating from before 1371.The last name is dated 1902, nine or ten years after the decoration works were completed. This appears to be in the same hand as those before it, so Percy Bacon may well have returned to add it. The others below starting from 1937 and finishing in 1963 have been added subsequently, rather clumsily one might add!

The main figurative work is confined to the sanctuary, as follows:

North wall: St Irenaeus, Restitutus, St David, and St Columba.
North side of east window: St Aidan. Heads of Abel and St John the Baptist.
South side of east window: St Augustine. Heads of St Stephen and St Alban.
South wall: Angels.

All the standing figures, with the exception of Columba, are represented as Bishops. Columba is shown in monk's habit as abbot. The representation of Abel as a shepherd is unusual. He is depicted holding a shepherd's crook, but strangely, and perhaps to distinguish him from more main-stream saints, with a polygonal halo.

On the chancel ceiling, demi-angels are shown playing musical instruments, alongside many panels with the word, "alleluia" on scrolls, and others with star bursts and vine leaves.

The painting of the crucifixion scene above the chancel arch. The crucifixion scene over the chancel arch executed by Bell & Beckman in 1890. was executed by Bell and Beckman in 1890.²

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1. Pevsner (Buildings of England, Essex; Bettley, J. 2007) suggests 1894-5 for the chancel painting. However an article in the Essex Herald on 17^th December 1892 states, "The fund for the completion of the chancel of the church, in memory of the late Canon Perry, now amounts to £112 13s 1d...". The words "completion of" might suggest that the work had already started and was well under way. However, a further article in The Builder, 21^st September 1895, p209, states; "Ardleigh, Essex.— The decoration of the chancel of this church, commenced last year as a memorial to the late Canon Perry, has just been completed—the artists being Messrs. Percy Bacon & Bros., who worked under the instructions of the architect, Mr. E. Geldart". This would date the work to 1894-5.
2. The Buildings of England, Essex. Pevsner, N. & Bettley, J. 2007.