The Treasures of  St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Stockbridge, Massachusetts

St. Paul’s Church, one of 67 congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, is beautified and graced by works of many celebrated artists.  The following brief guide, which you are welcome to keep, is a brief introduction to some of the items of special interest.

The stone church, built of South Berkshire limestone in 1883-1884, is of Norman style and was designed by Charles F. McKim, who donated his services.  This was McKim’s first church.  He later designed the Morgan Library in New York and the Boston Public Library as well as the Pennsylvania Railroad Station, and the Avery Library at Columbia University. Construction of the building in 1883 was a gift by Charles Butler as a memorial to his wife, Susan Ridley Sedgwick Butler.

The Nave

Stained glass in the main portion of the church includes:

Burleson and Gryll (London): the window on the north wall shows “Dorcas Feeding the Poor”.

Francis D. Millet: In the north wall, this window depicts a Christian warrior as a knight in armor.

Charles J. Connick: Window in the north wall, “The Good Samaritan”. Three windows of Fra Angelico angels with musical instruments and set in the west wall are from the original wooden church. Stonework outside incorporates their gothic shape within the Norman plan of the building

David Guarducci: Over the windows in the west wall are two new windows (1993) by this local stained-glass artist.

The windows in the south wall are in memory of Dudley Field and William Ellery Sedgwick. The former may be Tiffany or his studio.

The Crossing

Note the remarkable carved wooden angels at the ceiling. Above, the three-part wooden arch joining nave, transept and tower is a unique construction and was designed by local builder, George Knowles and incorporated into the final design. Knowles also designed and carved the wooden angels seen at the bottom of the roof beams.

The Baptistry

The Baptistry was designed by Stanford White of French limestone and marble.  The walls and floor are luna chella, or fossiliferrous marble, with tiny shells imbedded in limestone.  The central tablet is supported by sculptured angels in relief by Louis Saint Gaudens.  The flanking windows are by Louis Comfort Tiffany.  The white marble font, by Charles Lamb of New York, was brought from the prior wooden church.

The Transept

The large high-relief panels of  “The Singing Children” on the wall under the organ gallery is a replica  of a frieze by Luca della Robbia, which was installed in the Duomo, Florence c. 1435. The window is from the prior church; its gothic shape has been altered to fit the Norman arch.

The organ is by Hilborne L. Roosevelt op. 127, 1884.  Originally it contained 258 speaking pipes.  It has been enlarged to 1600 speaking pipes, retaining the original tracker action and slider wind chests.

The Tower above contains a large bell and the town’s central clock, again brought from the prior church.

The Sanctuary

The central window over the Altar depicting St. Paul preaching, and the window in the south wall representing the Annunciation, are the work of this well-known artist John La Farge

Fredrich Leuchs: The Altar clerestory window shows a Pentecostal dove and was designed and made by this local artist in 1988. 

The West Porch

The winged figure “the Spirit of Life”, on the covered porch is done in bronze by Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the famous Seated Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington

The Grounds

Please enjoy our grounds, lovingly tended by our own Godly Gardeners.  Notable features include a new Memorial Wall and fountain and the statue of St. Margaret of Scotland by local sculptor Anna May Ladd, in memory of her daughter Gabriella May Ladd Sedgwick. A special offering is “Sanctuary”, created in 2007 of white cedar by Gary Orlinsky, and available from the sculptor

Unless the Lord builds the house, their labor is in vain who build it.      Psalm 127