Monday, 26 April 2010

Fading Faces

I promised to include some more of the heads found on the door arches of churches. These were on the corners of the entrance chapel at Locksbrook cemetery in Bath. For some reason, they have eroded more than usual. There are expressions on some of the faces as you would expect to see on the faces of lost souls crying out as they fade away. Both alarming and sad at the same time. What do others think?







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6 comments:

  1. The Nightwatchman26 April 2010 at 19:39

    I was visiting Durham cathedral and they pointed out that as you go up the building to heaven, you find more pagan elements e.g. like the green men and sheleenangigs. Highly ironic?

    Also not sure, but I think in the good old days of Merry England. All the churches were painted inside as well as out. The Henry 8th got rid of a lot and anything else was finished off by the Roundhead iconoclasts.

    There are some murals still surviving. Like this one at Chaldon Church, near Reigate.

    http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/chaldon_church_mural

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  2. Laurie26 April 2010 at 19:46

    Thanks for the explanations and the link to the mural - fascinating!
    Laurie

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  3. Owen27 April 2010 at 00:55

    These stone faces are stirring and quietly beautiful. One can't help but imagine the sculptors who created them centuries ago, long gone to their graves, but they left traces of their passage here on earth... They have weathered into complete serenity, even if they do appear to be lamenting in advance their inevitable disappearance...

    Trust you are well Laurie, knees holding up and all ?

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  4. splendid27 April 2010 at 12:41

    these are haunting in their beauty
    a gentle reminder that
    nothing man made will last
    the earth reclaims itself

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  5. Exmoorjane29 April 2010 at 11:15

    Oh these are just beautiful. Stumbled here by one of those wonderful cases of serendipity - and sychronicity too as I took some pictures (not anywhere near as good as these) of similar faces at a church in Suffolk a few weekends back. yes, they do look like lost souls, totally.
    Very very lovely. Off to explore more now.
    Jane

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  6. Laurie1 May 2010 at 04:04

    Owen, Thanks - great, aren't they? Knees still there, last time I looked!

    Thanks, Splendid - haunting? That sums them up nicely.

    Welcome Jane. Visited your sites - lovely!

    Laurie

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