A Pope, a Cardinal and two or three Bishops have been discovered hiding in plain sight in Alloway Parish Church. They are Pope Gregory, Cardinal Jerome (Hieronymus), Bishop Augustine and Bishop Ambrose, collectively known as the four early “doctors” of the Western Church. They have been looking down on the congregation from the Houldsworth Window since it was installed 133 years ago. The identity of the “fifth doctor” is uncertain. The window has some enigmatic symbolism and in some ways it can be seen as prescient in its content, it is a positive harbinger for the developing role of women in Church and society as well as signalling the friendship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland.

The window is, of course, a legacy of our congregation’s journey of faith: Alloway is one of the fortunate congregations for whom that legacy will continue beyond the current planned closure of Church buildings. For many that will not be the case. In researching our window I was in contact with Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin (Church of Ireland) who also have a window featuring the four doctors. I discovered that the Church of Ireland seems to treasure the heritage found in stained glass having completed an audit of all their windows, having a research student with a project on the Cathedral’s stained glass and organising a conference on various aspects of stained glass windows.

I am saddened to see many Ayrshire churches with some lovely stained glass closing or have closed and I see little policy in the central Church concerning the fate of these windows.

To lose your building is sad, to also lose your heritage is tragic.

Dr David Lewis (Elder, retired, Alloway), Coylton, Ayr, South Ayrshire