The Village Church

From the number of church-related posts on "By Stargoose And Hanglands" you might get the idea that I'm a person of deep religious conviction. Nothing could be further from the truth. But I find the buildings - their architecture, history and spirit - endlessly fascinating. Although they stand as monuments to continuity through the ages they are constantly changing. In my local church some of the evidence for this has been documented by the  Meldreth Local History Group whose website is full of interesting information about the village.

I'd gone in to take some photos of flowers in the churchyard. But lets take a peep inside.

It's easy to think things have always looked this way but lets think for a moment. Constructing a building of this size was a huge undertaking for the villagers. Is it likely that they would leave it standing empty and unloved for all but a couple of hours a week? No, all kinds of activities took place within its walls and many items were stored there.

Every parish had a chest in which documents relating to births, deaths, marriages and other legal papers were kept.

In the tower these large hooks hang on the wall. They originally had long, wooden handles and were used to pull thatch off the roofs of cottages in the event of a fire. The church provided a safe, central  location where they could always be found. Similar ones are to be found in St Bene't's Church in Cambridge which we visited some months ago.

The greatest changes, and the greatest destruction, in our village churches took place in the name of the Reformation. The fragments of 14th century glass of the figure of St John are all that remains after the visit of Wm. Dowsing and friends in 1644. He reported that they had destroyed "60 pictures in the church, a cross on the steple and 2 pictures of Christ". The wall paintings which were a feature of Medieval churches were painted over soon afterwards. Parts of these have been uncovered at Meldreth but it's difficult to make out St Christopher and St Margaret of Antioch who are supposedly depicted.

The rood screen which supported a gallery also perished during this period. The screen which can be seen in the second picture was constructed from what was left. As the picture above shows the roof timbers were also richly painted in the past. How different our churches must have looked in those days.

Were the finials on the choir stalls in the chancel also painted at one time?

The font dates from the 15th century and would once have stood near the door as it does in many other churches, apparently to emphasise its symbolism as an entry into the church.

Music in churches was once provided by village bands consisting of a wide variety of instruments such as clarinets, serpents, bassoons and recorders as well as fiddles and bass viols. To get an impression of the versatility of these musicians one should read Thomas Hardy's "Under The Greenwood Tree". There is mention of the musicians gallery at Meldreth as late as 1845 but, across the country, during the Victorian era, these bands were swept aside in favour of the now ubiquitous organ. 

As I left the building I glanced up into the cobwebby roof of the porch. There, neglected and forgotten, alongside a swallow's nest, was an ornately carved wooden roof boss. What comings and goings must it have witnessed over the years?

Take care.