While we spent a morning in the Cotswold town of Broadway we enjoyed a visit to this church just down the road from the Pub we were going to have lunch at. The present parish church, built in 1840, and dedicated to St. Michael and All Angels, is a building with nave, two aisles and chancel.
Its chief antiquity is the pulpit, which is a fine piece of wood carving, and was transferred from the old church. It was reconstructed and part of it was used to form a chair which had since been stolen from the sanctuary.
We were intrigued with these ornate Eagle lecterns that we saw in most of the churches and cathedrals we visited in England. I researched to see the significance of this design. Here’s one explanation:
THE FLYING eagle is the symbol of John the Evangelist (see Revelation 4:7) who proclaimed Christ as ‘the Word of God’ at the beginning of his Gospel. The flying eagle is thus a suitable emblem from which God’s word is read, reaching (we hope) the ends of the earth. The eagle is also thought of as the bird which flies nearest to heaven. I am not sure such lecterns are confined just to the Anglican church. It was not until the Reformation that the lectern became prominent in ordinary parish churches of the reformed tradition, carrying the open bible.
This is my favorite Stained Glass Window from this church and appropriate for a church named St Michael and All Angels Church.
I love old doors of all kinds and this door into the church is very cool.
InSPIREd Sunday is hosted by Beth and Sally. This is a weekly meme devoted to sharing religious architecture from around the world.
Hope your Sunday is going well.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 