Glastonbury Abbey

Various views of Glastonbury Abbey taken August 2011

The abbey is reputedly built on the site of the very first ever 'Chrsitian' chapel...a little wattle and daub structure which was built by Jesus Himself and his uncle Joseph of Arimathea on one of his lead and tin trading trips to Britain. The sea used to come right up to Glastonbury so in theory He could have sailed from the Holy land and ended up here, right?

This wonderful and enigmatic ruin is always well worth a visit. There is an excellent visitor centre and guided tours by historically costumed staff, which I really enjoyed!

It's hard for us to imagine the power and wealth that the abbeys once held, and considering how impressive the ruins are the buildings in their heyday must have been truly awesome. Especially when one imagines that in the middle-ages colour and imagery were generally absent from most peoples surroundings whereas the church had it in abundance. A real glimpse of the glory of Heaven on Earth.

Furthermore the cathedrals and abbeys would have been the largest buildings (well, along with castles) that folk would ever have seen. So in some respect the churches must have seemed even bigger to our ancestors than they do to us today.

The abbey was also once the supposed resting place of King Arthur and his Queen Guenevere, and as such the church attracted an enormous number of pilgrims.

The abbey was dissolved and eventually destroyed during the so called 'Dissolution' when

King Henry 8th fell out with Rome and decided he would become the head of the church rather than the Pope in order that he could get the divorce he desired. The abbeys were in a sense autonomous of the mainstream church but still bore their allegiance to Rome, plus they were staggeringly wealthy.

Therefore they became fair game for a greedy, arrogant King.

However, pilgrimages to cathedrals and abbeys were such a deeply ingrained habit for pre-reformation/dissolution English Christians, yet no mention ever seems to be made on the seismic shock such a change must have made to our ancestors. Undoubtedly there were plenty of folk who were glad to see the back of a superstitious, powerful, wealthy edifice lording it over them; and at a time when Protestant reform and ideas were creeping across Europe perhaps some felt it was inevitable that such change should come. But I can't help thinking that the majority of folk liked their effigies, ceremonies, relics, festival, pilgrimages, colour and mystery that went along with this period of English Catholicism.

A building such as Glastonbury Abbey, and indeed any church with pre-reformation imagery or colour helps to remind us of the people we once were and that Christianity is an ever changing, fluctuating faith. I do wonder what we would have become as a nation had we remained Catholic?

Craft and Design Magazine

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I'd quite forgotten I had a listing on this website!

Roman Stone, All Saints Minstead, Hampshire

My pastiche of a Roman military headstone, carved from two pieces of finest Portland stone and installed in Minstead in the New Forest (Hampshire).
This memorial is to a young man tragically killed whilst on a charity cycle ride. He loved animals and military history, hence this unusual design. I had always dreamed of carving a stone in this style which is very typical of British Roman headstones, several examples can be seen in museums across the country. Shown above is also my original sketch; I aim to work as closely as possible to my designs so that the client can always be assured that they know what they are going to get when the commission is completed.
The inscription at the bottom is Latin; 'Hic Sitvs Est' and translates as 'here he lies'. This was frequently used on English memorials in the 17th-18th century when all things classical were fashionable, and is often seen  abbreviated to H.S.E

St Michael's, Quarley, Hampshire

This delightful Saxon (AD 900) church is a short walk from my studio. The original shape of the Saxon nave is clearly seen and there is clear evidence of a Saxon window (now blocked) on the North side. Mercifully this lovely little haven is usually unlocked and a walk, sit and pray here helps with the creative day.
Saxon churches are some of my most favourite, largely because each one is a remarkable survivor, a throwback to pre-Norman conquest times. The Normans set about re-building so much of the landscape that there is something so achingly precious about these Saxon reminders of an earlier expression of Englishness, and an earlier version of Christianity too. The Normans imposed their own bishops on the church, so inevitably the texture of earlier English Christianity must have differed in some way.

The WORD; Sarum College, Salisbury

A dramatic shot of my piece for 'The WORD' exhibition at Sarum College, Salisbury Cathedral close until 19th December 2011, free admission.
IN PRINCIPIO ERAT VERBUM: In the beginning was the Word'
Slate, gold leaf and ash wood. Photo by Ash Mills

Heritage Crafts Association makers map

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I am now registered with the Heritage Crafts Association

Portsmouth Cathedral

I'm delighted to have received confirmation from Portsmouth cathedral for a new memorial plaque to boy sailors killed during WW 2. This will be my second commission for that building having carved the memorial tablet to bishop Stevenson earlier this year.