Corpus of Percy Bacon & Brothers

The reredos, installed in 1893. Paintings by Percy Bacon and Brothers.

The reredos, installed in 1893. Paintings by Percy Bacon and Brothers.

The reredos; Ss Alban and Osyth.

The reredos; St Andrew.

The reredos; Crucifixion.

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Comparison of Martin Schongauer's Crucifixion scene with that draw by Percy Bacon on the central panel of the reredos.

The reredos; St Paul and Hannah.

The reredos; St George.

Chancel east wall. Above the east window; 6 angels, and to the side four Latin Doctors of the Church: to the left, St Ambrose and St Gregory, and to the right, St Jerome and St Augustine

Chancel east wall, left side of window. Latin Doctors of the Church: St Ambrose and St Gregory.

Chancel east wall, right side of window. Latin Doctors of the Church: St Jerome and St Augustine.

Chancel ceiling decoration above the sanctuary.

Chancel ceiling decoration above the sanctuary.

Reredos. Designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, decoration by Percy Bacon & Bros. Carving by Mr Runnacles of Halstead.

Posted 06 September 2023.

This is one of Percy Bacon & Brothers earliest decorative schemes after the company was set up the year before. The work was carried out under the direction of the architect, Sir Arthur Blomfield. The firm would return to Halstead in 1899 to complete the chancel wall and ceiling decorations (see below). Shortly after these works were complete, the firm would again be in Essex decorating the chancel arch with paintings of angels at All Saints, Witham. Possibly as early as June 1893, and certainly by September, Percy Bacon had also executed at least two stained glass windows under Blomfield's direction at St Peter's, Upton Cross, Plaistow.

The reredos and retable, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, was installed in memory of Mr G. W. Harris by his family. Mr Harris had for many years been a churchwarden at St Andrew's. It was carved from oak by Mr. Runnacles, a builder in Halstead, and formed a heptyche with painted panels by Percy Bacon and Brothers.¹ The largest panel at the centre is a crucifixion scene with the Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist in their usual positions flanking the cross. To the left, three panels depict St Alban, St Osyth and St Andrew, and to the right, St Peter, Hannah and St George. Below the centre panels, three smaller ones contain demi-angels flanking the Lamb of God. The central panel is essentially taken directly from one of the many drawings of the crucifixion by Martin Schongauer. It seems a similar scheme was executed at St Andrew's, Sharrow, South Yorkshire in 1895 (now lost).

The 1893 works also included the painting of the chancel ceiling above the sanctuary, and the east wall, the latter having three angels either side of the arch of the east window and on both sides, two Latin Doctors of the Church; to the left, St Ambrose and St Gregory, and to the right, St Jerome and St Augustine. The total cost of the decorative works was between £150 and £160.

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Wall paintings, 1899. South wall of chancel.

South chancel wall paintings: Evangelists Luke and John.

South chancel wall paintings: Angel with a passage from Psalm 51.

South chancel wall paintings: St Simeon and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

South chancel wall paintings: King David.

Wall painting, south wall of chancel. 1899..

Posted 06 September 2023.

In late 1898 or early 1899 Percy Bacon and Brothers would return to carry out the decoration of the north and south walls of the chancel.² On the south wall, within stylised niches, and with gilded backgrounds are figures of the evangelists, Luke and John on the left, and on the right, Simeon and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Centred above the priest's door is an angel with a scroll on which is inscribed, "And our mouth shall shout out thy praise", the second line of Psalm 51:15, the first line being on the north wall. West of window SC2 a representation of King David.

In addition, the chancel windows were provided with borders or variously coloured vine leaves. Much of the non-figurative work appears to have been applied using a stenciling technique.

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Wall paintings, 1899. North wall of chancel.

North chancel wall paintings: Evangelists Matthew and Mark.

North chancel wall paintings: Angel with a passage from Psalm 51.

North chancel wall paintings: From left: Moses, Miriam, St Asaph and Hannah.

Wall painting, north wall of chancel. 1899..

Posted 06 September 2023.

Although following the same general painting scheme as that on the south side, the north wall of the chancel takes advantage of the wider spacing of the windows, and is therefore more expansive. To the eastern end are the figures of the evangelists, Matthew and Mark, reflecting those on the south wall opposite. Likewise an angel above the vestry door holds a scroll with the inscription from the first line of Psalm 51:15; "Oh Lord open thou our lips". In the third panel are the standing figures of St Asaph and Hannah, the latter also on one of the reredos panels, and in the fourth, those of Moses and Miriam. Beneath the western panels inscriptions on scrolls read:

Be strong and of good courage.
Sing ye to the Lord.
Give thanks unto the Lord.
My heart rejoiceth in the Lord.

The north chancel windows were provided with borders or variously coloured vine leaves, similar to those in the south.

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1. Essex Standard - Saturday 08 April 1893, p7. Herts & Cambs Reporter & Royston Crow - Friday 07 April 1893, p6.
2. The Builder. Vol 76 28 January 1899, p98.