Pickering
I have finally had the time to visit the medieval (Anglican) church of
St Peter and Paul in my parish of Pickering. I bought an informative
booklet, whose contents may be of interest to members. I quote:
"The wall paintings were probably first commissioned in 1450 and were
painted in the following decade. Yet only 100 years later, they had
been covered as part of the general process of the Protestant
Reformation."
[The reformers probably did a Good Thing in the long run, for often, as
here, their covering-up has served to preserve the paintings to which
they objected.]
"The paintings were first accidentally rediscovered in 1852, during
restorations, when a thick coat of plaster was removed from the nave
walls. Many people came to view the 'frescoes' at this time but they
were subsequently covered again by a heavy coat of whitewash. It is
known, from letters, that an argument about the paintings ensued
between the vicar, Rev. F. Ponsonby and the Archbishop [of York].
Although the Archbishop appeared to approve of the paintings, the vicar
felt that they were a distraction from his sermons and were full of
'Popish superstitions'.
[An unusual case of the bishop being more popish than the vicar.
Usually the reverse was true in the nineteenth century.]
As we enter the church we find the figures of St George and St
Christopher facing us. St George is dressed as a late-medieval knight,
in plate armour, his lance thrust into the mouth of the dragon and out
of her cheek. She lies on her back, with four short legs in the air.
Her wings are fixed to her body without any convincing musculature, so
I doubt that she would have been able to fly; perhaps glide a little
like a flying fox, though even for this purpose they are rather small.
Her tail is wrapped around the horse's hind leg.
About St Christopher our pamphlet says:
"St Christopher usually faces the entrance to the church, as at
Pickering, in his role as Patron Saint of Travellers. The legend of St
Christopher recounts how a young man, called Offero [!]
set off on a quest for the 'greatest king' to devote himself to that
king's service . . ."
The picture shows Christopher carrying Christ across the river. A sort
of eel looks on, with its tail wrapped round Christopher's leg.
Next the pamphlet describes the fresco of the beheading of St John the
Baptist, a 'comic strip' kind of picture, with John shown denouncing
Herod, being beheaded, and Salome with his head on a platter.
The pamphlet describes, but does not illustrate, a painting of the
Coronation of the Virgin - perhaps one of the popish things which so
offended Mr Ponsonby. It does illustrate the martyrdom of St Edmund,
King of East Anglia, being shot with arrows like Sebastian.
Next we come to the martyrdom of St Thomas: "The painting shows the
four knights in the cathedral wearing the armour of Edward III
(1461-1483) feom which we can date the painting."
"Opposite St Edmund on the south wall is a depiction of the legend of
Catherine of Alexandria . . . the painting relates her legend (much
like a strip cartoon, proceeding left to right, top to bottom) . . .
A band running beneath the clerestory windows illustrates the Seven
Corporal Acts of Mercy (cf. Matthew 25:35-37): to feed the hungry, to
give drink to the thirsty, to shelter the stranger, to clothe the
naked, to visit those in prison, to tend the sick, to bury the dead.
Following on from this is the depiction of Christ's Passion.
Next is the Harrowing of Hell - Christ pulls out Adam (carrying his
apple) and Eve from the mouth of Hell. Then the Resurrection: "A
soldier falls backwards in amazement as angels look on at Christ rising
in triumph."
The pamphlet describes, but does not illustrate, three paintings
depicting the Transitus Mariae, or death, assumption and coronation of
Mary.
Well worth a visit to Pickering to see these things.
Besides the small town of Pickering itself, my parish includes
seventeen villages, namely Allerston, Great and Little Baruch, Cropton,
Ebberston & Yedingham, Habton, Hartoft, Kirkby Misperton, Levisham,
Lockton, Marishes, Middleton, Newton, Sinnington, Thornton le Dale,
Wilton and Wrelton. Many or possibly all of these have medieval
churches, which I hope to visit and describe in due course.
As to my deanery, it must contain hundreds of medieval churches,
including Lastingham, Rievaulx and Byland Abbeys, St Gregory's Minster
and many more. If any member has a particular request for details of a
church in my area, I shall try to oblige.
Oriens, the Supple Dean.
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