Percy Bacon & Brothers Stained Glass

Newburn, St Michael and All Angels

Tyne and Wear

St Michael & All Angels Newburn Chancel Decoration c1900

St Michael and All Angels, Newburn. Chancel painting by Percy Bacon & Brothers. 1897.

Interior of St Michael & All Angels, c1900. Painting scheme by Percy Bacon 1897.
Photo courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

St Michael and All Angels, Newburn. Chancel 2002: Much of the painting by Percy Bacon & Brothers removed.

Chancel circa 2002. The walls were whitewashed in the 1950s.
Photo courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Posted 19 August 2024.

In 1897 Percy Bacon & Brothers was commissioned by Hicks and Charlewood, architects of Newcastle Upon Tyne to carry out a painting scheme as part of their restoration of St Michael & All Angels.¹ This restoration and renovation involved new carved woodwork by Ralph Hedley of Newcastle, marble by Messrs. Beall, also of Newcastle, carved stone figures by Messrs. Milburn of York, floors by Messrs. Emley of Newcastle, and paintings by Messrs. Bacon Bros. of London. It is unclear as at the time of writing how much decoration was carried out, but the image of the chancel here shows a great deal of wall paintings. On the east wall below stylized fleur-de-lys and crosses, and either side of the east window are angels, with the painting scheme extending to the top of the screen. Above the angels an indiscernable scriptural quotation. On the north and south walls are what appear to be images of saints standing in niches, with an ornate frieze below the roof. The reredos are also richly painted, with the addition of two wing panels at either side. Additionally Percy Bacon created a scheme for the chancel arch which is discussed below.

Percy Bacon would go on to work with William Hicks and Ralph Hedley at St Mary's, North Creake in 1899, and at St Chad's, Bensham in 1903.

Much of this work in the chancel is now gone, whitewashed over in the 1950's which left only the painting above the chancel arch.² This latter decoration was lost in 2006 when a fire severely damaged the church nave and bell tower^{3 4} but was "reinstated".² However, it is clear from this photo from the early 20th centuryThe "The nave circa 1910 with the original Percy Bacon painting over the chancel arch. Photo from a lantern slide by Gibson & Son of Hexham in the author's collection.

Chancel arch painting by Percy Bacon. The original scheme, although hard to make out in this photo shows the central figure of Christ the King surrounded by angels and northern saints. It is possible the central figure above Christ is St Michael.
Photo from a lantern slide by Gibson & Son of Hexham in the author's collection.

that the extant painting over the chancel arch is much simpler than Bacon's work, though it does embrace the basic elements, subject matter, and the original intention of illustrating the works of angels in heaven and on earth.⁵ The extant chancel arch painting executed after the 2006 fire. It is not clear whether the original Percy Bacon work used the words from John 2:19, "Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up".

The Newcastle Daily Chronicle article of 6th October 1897 describes the work thus:

"In the centre of the picture, the colouring of which is strikingly brought out, Christ is represented standing over the "wells of salvation, four in number, typical alike of the four streams which water Paradise and the four Gospels. Angels and archangels are represented paying homage to their King, on each side of whom are congregated a portion of that multitude which "no man can number," amongst whom are seen not a few local representatives which the artist has introduced with consummate skill. On the left of the central figure a number of female saints are artistically grouped including Margaret of Scotland, Hilda of the once famous Abbey of Whitby, Helena. a British Lady, the mother of Constantine, Saint Agnes with the lamb, Saint Catherine with the wheel, and Saint Cecilia, the patroness of music. Ou the right side of the picture the same local colouring is studiously kept in view by the artist, very realistic portraits of St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert, both of whom had a large share in the Christianising of ancient Northumbria, being grouped in the foreground, together with St. Oswald. who planted the cross near Hexham and fought for the faith, while St. Benedict represents the orders. and St. Jerome, one of the four doctors of the West. represents Latin Christianity. St. Athanasius being the representative of Eastern Christianity. Four cherubic symbols, representing the four creatures —man, the lion, the ox, and the eagle —are also shown."

Michael Spencer, the dedicatee of the chancel arch painting, was a benefactor of the church.

St Michael and All Angels Church, Newburn, Tyne and Wear

St Michael and All Angels, Newburn. Chancel painting by Percy Bacon & Brothers. 1897.
Photo courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Chancel Arch with the original Percy Bacon painting in c1972.
Photo courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Chancel arch painting by Percy Bacon 1897.
Photo (1972) courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. Licensed under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Chancel arch painting by Percy Bacon 1897. Bottom left detail.
Photo (1972) courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. Licensed under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Chancel arch painting by Percy Bacon 1897. Bottom right detail.
Photo (1972) courtesy of West Newcastle Picture History Collection. Licensed under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Once more information comes to light, and photos of the reredos obtained, this page will be updated.

References: Use your browser's Back button to return to text.

The Builder 16 Oct 1897, p311. See also Newcastle Daily Chronicle - Wednesday 06 October 1897, p5.
The Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Newburn-on-Tyne, and its West Tower Archaeological Assessment combined with Archaeological Recording of West Tower after 2006 Fire, p27. Ryder, Peter F. Here.
Chronicle Live website: 21 March 2006
Chronicle Live website: 27 December 2007.
Report on the restoration of the church; Newcastle Daily Chronicle; 06 October 1897, p5.

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