Mansfield Traquair is a former Catholic Apostolic Church which is thoroughly adorned with colourful murals by Irish-born artist, Phoebe Anna Traquair. The murals were painted during the 1890s and took eight years to complete. Now used as an events space, the former church is managed by the Mansfield Traquair Trust, who organise various events and open days every month.
Phoebe Anna Traquair was born in County Dublin in 1852, she attended the Royal Dublin Society where she took art and design classes. After her studies, she married paleontologist Dr Ramsay Heatley Traquair, and the pair moved to Edinburgh in 1874. She was heavily involved in the Arts and Crafts movement, with her work mostly consisting of watercolours and embroidery. Her main inspirations for her artworks included medieval, renaissance, pre-raphailite and classical sculpture. Mural painting was also a key part of her career, as she decorated three other buildings in Edinburgh, including a mural at the Edinburgh Hospital for Sick Children (now part of Quartermile), The Song School of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, and a mural at a children’s hospital built in Sciennes in the 1890s.
The murals inside Mansfield Traquair were painted between 1893 and 1901, featuring colourful scenes from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The murals are painted in a style inspired by the Italian Renaissance, whilst still paying homage to Scotland and the Celtic revival. The nave of the church depicts scenes from the Old and New Testaments, and the channel arch depicts the Worship of Heaven. The south chapel and north aisle depict the Parable of the Ten Virgins, and the great wall illustrates the Second Coming of Christ. Traquair utilised bold colours, blending them seamlessly to depict a scene that is harmonious yet striking. She used an oil paint mixture along with beeswax and turpentine, this allowed a thin layer to be applied with a matte finish. The bright colours are illuminated as the light floods in through the high windows, making the murals glow in the sunlight. Mansfield Traquair is also often referred to as Edinburgh’s Sistine Chapel due to the similarities in the ornateness and religious iconography.
The church itself was completed in 1885 by architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. The building is in a neo-romanesque style and is Grade A-listed. Anderson also designed The University of Edinburgh Medical School, McEwan Hall, The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute.
The Catholic Apostolic Church left the building, and sadly it slowly began to fall into disrepair. In 1993, the Mansfield Traquair Trust was set up over concerns from the public about the deterioration of the murals. The trust purchased the building in 1998 and the renovations and restorations were completed via private and public fundraising, which included £3.8 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. From 2000 to 2002, the building was renovated to its original state, and from 2003 to 2005, the murals were restored.
The building is open to the public on the second Sunday of each month from 1pm until 4pm. During the Fringe Festival in August, the building is open most mornings excluding Saturdays. The building is free to visit, however there is an option to join The Friends of Mansfield Traquair Trust, which is £10 (or £5 for students and concessions). All proceeds from the trust go towards the preservation and maintenance of the building and murals. The building is located on 15 Mansfield Place and is fully accessible.
Many of the artist’s other works can be found throughout the city, including The National Gallery of Scotland, which houses her four embroidered panels. Additionally, many of her pieces can be viewed upon enquiry at St Mary’s Cathedral, High Kirk of St Giles and in the special collections at the University of Edinburgh Main Library.
The next open day at Mansfield Traquair is on the 8 March 2026. More details about Mansfield Traquair and the Mansfield Traquair Trust can be found here.
Photo provided by Hannah Doran for The Student