Ayr Cathedral

St Margaret's Church and later Cathedral has changed considerably over its almost 200 years of existence. The church was designed by architect James Dempster. During the 1960s/1970s the church was remodelled as a result of Vatican II. These changes significantly altered the layout of the sanctuary and were carried out to enable the congregation to have a more active role in Mass, with the priest celebrating Mass facing the congregation rather than towards the high altar. In the mid-1990s it became apparent that the church required substantial capital works undertaken. There were issues with water ingress, dampness, corrosion of windows, problems with electricity and general wear and tear.…

The two windows positioned behind the heavy structure of the gallery presented a particular problem for the designer Susan Bradbury. The gallery obscures the central third of the design, therefore the artist chose a repeat pattern so that the mind automatically fills in the hidden parts. The pattern-work is in the form of Celtic knots which shade from green to blue to represent the relationship between heaven and earth and the unbroken love that God has with everyone. The Celtic theme refers to the history of the congregation, originating in Ireland but now firmly rooted in Scotland, and because it has no beginning and no end this is also a symbol of eternity. For the highly visible windows…