Gargoyles, Grimacers and Green Men

I've been interested in church architecture and sculpture for years. I also like the atmosphere and history embedded in what are often the oldest buildings in a settlement. I've visited churches all over Western Europe, and I've become particularly interested in the apparently pagan images which are found throughout. Probably the most famous is the 'Green Man', which is a modern term for a range of images which we (apparently) know very little about. I'm not a student of history and I've not had access to academic papers, and much popular writing about Green Men appears to be conjecture and imagination. We seem to know little about what the actual creators and observers of these images really thought about them. I'd like to look into this area in more depth, but I feel that this may become a 'retirement project' (if I ever get to retire)! So below you'll find just as much conjecture from me.

The following are some of the images which I saw in churches in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on my recent cycle rides. They are described from North to South.

Filey, St. Oswald. This pair of 'mouth-pullers' were probably moved to this corner of the church at some point, as they are actually corbels which would originally have been where the roof and wall of the nave met. I used to visit this church a lot when I spent holidays at Filey as a child: we never noticed these faces! We were more interested in the gravestones.

Patrington, St. Patrick. An amazing church, with such a high spire that it was used by sailors to navigate safely round the hazards of the Humber. Here the gargoyle is being helped to eject water... Gargoyles ( it cames from Old French gargouille, or 'throat') had the specific job of shooting rainwater away from the church wall.

Barton-on Humber, St. Peter. As well as lovely carved capitals (which are between the tops of pillars and the arches above) this church has a rare Saxon tower and is a fascinating museum of archaeology.

Marshchapel, St. Mary. Not all church carvings are grotesque: particularly in the late middle ages realistic figures appear too. This woman appears to be taking her task of supporting the roof with equanimity.

Middle Rasen St. Peter. A rather fierce ram. I've seen several rams on older, Norman corbels: I don't think they have any relation to the 'lamb of God'.

Freiston, St. James. There's something not quite right about this monster - it's not actually holding anything up. Pevsner describes how the church, which was part of an abbey, was renovated in Victorian times, and the corbel stones were made redundant.

Boston, St. Botolph. A classic Green Man, with a typically ambiguous expression. It's just to the right of the main door, and was a shelf on which a statue of a saint would have stood. This location is often occupied by demons, as if the saint is standing on and crushing them.

Gosberton, St. Peter and St. Paul. This is one of the most terrifying carvings I have seen in an English church.

Walpole St. Peter. A huge and fascinating church with much carving. This one appears intriguingly oriental. Many people who are interested in Green Men see a link with oriental images such as the Kirti-Mukha. I wonder if here there is a connection with Chinese Lions?

More to follow.