I went out with some friends on New Year's Eve, for a gentle ramble around Grassington. We stopped at the church of St Michael and All Angels in Linton, a long name for quite a compact church! It nestles very attractively in the Wharfe valley, where a bend in the river cradles the church and its graveyard in a kind of a hug. The church has Norman origins, as the two rounded arches (above on the left) inside suggest, but was rebuilt in Victorian times (1861).
It's not very fancy inside, but has a few interesting features including some attractive stained glass windows:
It also holds this royal coat of arms from George III's reign. After the reformation, Henry VIII wanted to assert his authority over the Church and royal coats of arms began to be displayed, to remind congregations of the link between church and state. When King Charles II was restored to the English throne in 1660, ending Oliver Cromwell's 'Commonwealth' period, it became accepted practice for churches to display them. This ceased in Victorian times and this particular board was, I gather hidden away in the back of a cupboard until it was rediscovered.
The roof of the church has some interesting carved bosses, two of which are of 'green men' with foliage spewing from their mouths. Originally a pagan image, green men are found in many of our churches and cathedrals.
Some of the furniture has more recent symbolism: a characteristic mouse carving, that shows it was made by 'the Mouseman of Kilburn', Robert Thompson - a renowned ecclesiastical furniture maker from North Yorkshire, who 'signed' all of his pieces in this way.
It can become quite addictive searching for those royal coats of arms. When the monarch's name has not been included they can be dated by the style of the arms. They are all there for you to study on Wikipedia if you're interested. Here you can date the coat of arms more precisely as between 1801 and 1816. Before 1801 we still clung to the idea that we had some claim to the throne of France and the fleur-de-lys was included. After 1816 George III became the King of Hanover rather than the Elector so the arms changed again.
ReplyDeleteOne certainly learns a great deal from you two!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tour-- I'm fascinated by Britain's beautiful old churches.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting little church!
ReplyDeleteThat stained glass really draws my eye.
ReplyDeleteI am happy to tell you that the firm Robert Thompson of Kilburn are still today producing a wide range of attractive solid wooden home furniture. Also on offer are small items such as book-ends, apple bowls all marked as genuine with the famous little mouse.
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