Grotesques, Green Men and Glorious Angels
The Church of St Mary and St David in Kilpeck in Herefordshire has been a centre for Christian worship since the 12th century, and today is a place of pilgrimage.
The Clarke Charm Collection: Of Witch Bottles, Witch Cakes and Hag Stones
Clarke’s charm collection reveals a range of uses, including cures for sore throats, the protection of seafarers from drowning, and good luck charms.
The Mystery of the Green Man
Finding Green Men in medieval churches was a game for myself and my young charge; others have made it an all-engrossing spiritual quest. Deep things have been said about the head in the leaves: he is a trickster, a prophet, the guardian and revealer of mysteries. Well, maybe.
The Calderstones: Invoking the Spirits of Place
South Liverpool, where I was born and live still, is a place full of green-spaces. Its abundance of woodlands, parks, cemeteries, playing fields and golf courses are linked by an intricate network of narrow, bramble-lined public footpaths and overgrown roadside verges. The more romantically inclined might be tempted to call them faerie paths, or corpse […]
Gargoyles: Demons in the Sky or Grotesque Guardian Angels?
An exploration of the history, myths and enduring legacy of gargoyles in popular culture.