Welcome

Welcome to the Medieval Ecclesiastical Art blog. England has around 16,000 medieval parish churches, buildings that are an important treasure house of medieval art and architecture. This blog is intended to be a modest exploration of some of these buildings and the works of art they contain. It is also partly intended to be a way for me to make sense of the large collection of photographs I have amassed on my Flickr page. I hope you enjoy it.

The photo I am beginning with is from the fascinating tomb of John Barton, a Nottinghamshire wool merchant who died in 1491. Barton (and I should add we are not related) built himself a manor in Holme-by-Newark Nottinghamshire and also rebuilt the adjoining parochial chapel of St Giles. His tomb, which he erected during his lifetime, is set in the place of honour to the south of the high altar. The upper part portrays him and his wife as they were in life, while the lower stage has this rather grisly cadaver.