Thanks, Steve. The 'white mantle of churches' may not be wholly irrelevant.
Charles Phythian-Adams, just back from a research foray on the Marches (the
borderland of England and Wales), asked last week if we could really be sure
that 'Whitchurch' places (of which there are one or two in that area)
referred to whitewashed stone structures (the usual explanation). We don't
know what proportion of churches were stone before the twelfth century;
neither do we know how many of them were externally painted - some at least
were...
Graham
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Dr Graham Jones
Stott Fellow
Prifysgol Cymru / University of Wales
Canolfan Uwchefrydiau Cymreig a Celtaidd / Centre for
Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion SY23 3HH
Wales
Tel: +44 (0)1970 626717, ext. 18
Fax: +44 (0)1970 627066
e-Mail: [log in to unmask]
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Web: http://users.aber.ac.uk/gkj/
http://www.le.ac.uk/elh/grj1/
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