A new St Enoch mural is the newest addition to the very-popular Mural Trail in Glasgow city centre and can be seen from George Street on the back of a tenement building on High Street.

St Enoch was the mother of St Mungo, Glasgow’s patron saint, whose own mural can be found 200 metres away on High Street. The previous mural was lost as a result of necessary remedial works undertaken by the landlord, including resurfacing treatment to the gable end.

The new mural – created by the artist Smug – is a refreshed take on his earlier mural of St Enoch, also known as St Thenue. When creating the new mural, Smug took inspiration from Rebecca Sharp’s poetry play Maiden Mother Mage to show St Enoch in her later years in Glasgow.

Councillor Angus Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery at Glasgow City Council, said: “The earlier St Enoch mural was a popular part of the City Centre Mural Trail, and we were keen – when working with the artist - to see something new that would pay tribute to a key character in the very early days of Glasgow. I am sure the striking new mural of St Enoch, appropriately placed in Glasgow’s historic heart, will prove to be as popular as its predecessor.”

The creation of the project was supported by the Wheatley Group, through landlord permissions, and the University of Strathclyde through car park access during the installation.

Smug, originally from Australia but long based in Glasgow, is widely recognised for his photorealistic murals, including the modern portrait of St Mungo, on High Street, now a local landmark and a highlight of the trail. Last year he unveiled a massive mural on the side of The Social Hub, with elements reflecting the history of the Candleriggs area.

He said: “It’s been surprising and humbling to watch the rise in popularity of street art over the years. It brings life to spaces people walk past every day. If someone pauses and feels something, has some sort of connection to the artwork, that’s powerful. When a mural tells a story or connects with its environment, it can be transformative.

“Glasgow has always had a strong graffiti and street art culture. It’s raw, expressive, and usually speaks to what’s going on in society. My journey started with graffiti and is very much intertwined between the two subcultures. Murals build on that graffiti tradition but also offer a different kind of platform. They allow for bigger, bolder statements that can speak to a wide audience.”

More information on the Glasgow City Council’s City Centre Mural Trail can be found at: citycentremuraltrail.co.uk.