Saturday, September 4, 2010

Billesley, Warwickshire


On the path through life

All Saints’ church, Billelsey is between the towns of Alcester and Stratford upon Avon. It’s a tiny church with an atmosphere that you could best describe as ‘country Georgian’ – round-headed windows, box pews, plain white walls. There’s a tradition that Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway here, and in their day the church would probably still have had its some of its medieval fittings and atmosphere – it would have been darker, with smaller windows and maybe this wonderful carving, now on display inside the church, was over the door.

A carved relief like this is a real surprise in rural Warwickshire. Its style (the vigorous interlacing foliage, the linear design on the figure’s kilt-like costume, the bird, the serpent) is like the work of the Herefordshire sculptors of the 12th century – I’ve posted previously about their wonderful carvings at Kilpeck, Shobdon, and Castle Frome. But their work wasn’t confined to Herefordshire – there are a few examples in nearby counties such as Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire too.

The Billesley carving seems to show a man, pursued by sinister forces (a serpent and a dragon) trying to escape towards a dove, symbol of peace, purity, and the Holy Spirit. The whole carving of this figure on his path through life is bursting with vigour and the surprise of finding it among the plain white walls of this quiet church is part of the pleasure it gives. There would no doubt have been more carvings here by the same 12th-century master, but all except this one and a fragment of a stone cross have vanished in later rebuildings of the church. We can only be grateful for the burgeoning vigour of what survives.

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Note This church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.

10 comments:

bazza said...

I suppose that this intricate carving would have contained a recognisable narrative for the ancient worshippers, many of whom would have not been literate.
However, it is very attractive on it's own terms without knowing the reason why it exists.

Terry said...

I never read one your posts without being delighted so I keep my eye peeled for your weekend posts. This time I not only find a beautiful carving but also find http://www.crsbi.ac.uk.

How big is the Blllesley carving?

Philip Wilkinson said...

Terry: As far as I can remember, the panel is about a yard across at the bottom. The kind of size that would fit comfortably above the doorway of a small parish church, which I'm sure is where it started its life.

peggy braswell said...

Love your post!

worm said...

I live very close to this, so I shall endeavour to pop along soon to have a look. Since moving to Warwickshire 2 years ago I have so far been fairly unimpressed with the dearth of really interesting places to look at compared to other areas in which i've lived

Philip Wilkinson said...

Worm: Please note that there have been repairs underway here and it might not be open all the time.

Thud said...

I wonder where these lost artist/craftsmen where laid to rest? a strange thought I know but one that does interest me.

aw said...

This reminds me of a carving in St Mary's Church at Fownhope. As this is in Herefordshire I assume this is another example of that school of sculpture.

Philip Wilkinson said...

AW: Yes, I think the Fownhope carving belongs to the same school.

martin said...

A beautifully intricate representation in stone of what wer'e all trying to achieve,in one way or another.