Chris Tubbs Stepping into the magnificently baronial Great Hall for the first time, visitors to Skibo are immediately captivated by the grand stained-glass window that dominates the space. Commissioned by Andrew Carnegie in 1902 and designed by artist Gerald Moira, it tells both Carnegie’s story and that of his Highland estate. The first pane depicts the cottage in Dunfermline where Carnegie was born, and a ship sailing away, representing his family’s emigration to America. The final pane shows a ship setting off from New York – the Statue of Liberty visible in the background – and Skibo Castle coming into view. The two panels effectively bookend the narrative of Carnegie’s life: his emigration from Scotland in poverty and triumphant return, the archetypal rags-to-riches story. The middle three panes depict significant figures from Skibo’s history: Sigurd the Mighty, the 9th-century Earl of Orkney who led an invasion of northern Scotland and made Skibo his base; Bishop Gilbert de Moravia, who built Dornoch Cathedral as well as a summer residence at Skibo; and James Graham, the tragic Marquis of Montrose who led the Royalists against the Covenanters during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms until his capture in 1650 when – on his long march south to execution in Edinburgh – he was billeted overnight at Skibo. In juxtaposing his own life with theirs, Carnegie inexorably linked their stories, and in the central triumphal arch he set his initials and that of his wife – AC and LW – firmly asserting his place in Skibo’s narrative. Today, over a century after its creation, the stunning window still takes the breath away. Its scale is awe- inspiring, and as the light streams through the coloured glass illuminating the Great Hall, visitors can’t help but think of all the others before them who have gazed up and been spellbound by the stunning artisanship and historic splendour of Carnegie’s window. ª – 7 8 – A R T E F A C T A C OL OURFUL HIS TORY The stained-glass window at Skibo is a breathtaking tribute to its rich heritage, says Victoria Connor Weatherbys Private Bank is a trading name of Weatherbys Bank Ltd. Weatherbys Bank Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Financial Services Register number: 204571. Weatherbys Bank Ltd is registered in England. Registered number: 2943300. Registered Office: Sanders Road Wellingborough Northamptonshire NN8 4BX.