NORTHANTS GALLERY 3
LOWER BENEFIELD. CHURCH : ST MARY
Good Friday 2008, and a cycle trip to Lower Benefield. An aborted trip this as high winds forced me back home after I had planned to also visit Weldon and Bulwick. Four grotesques of the very highest quality surround the tower. Tried very hard to get all four but, as hard as I tried, I just couldn,t get any decent shots of the fourth! Mind you, I was surprised that anything came out at all as it was difficult enough just to stand upright whilst taking the pictures, such was the strength of the wind!
As I said earlier, extremely high quality, just look at the detail on the feathers on the Eagle below right. The two creatures above both appear to be carrying a carved scroll of some kind.
The two heads below, whilst not having the "wow factor" of the mythical creatures surrounding the tower, are of very high quality in their own right. The quality of the eyes is superb, as are the individual teeth in the picture below right.
SOUTHWICK. CHURCH : ST MARY
Pictured above left, high up on the tower, this fella has seen better days! Bet it looked good in its day though with spout in place. Inspired ears...and I have never typed that before!!!! To the right of that, again high up on the tower at St Mary, a nice gargoyle on the corner of the tower.
EASTON ON THE HILL. CHURCH : ALL SAINTS
Easton On The Hill is a large village close to Stamford, just off the A43. All Saints church was an oasis of calm and tranquility and an ideal place to have my lunch on the first day of what was to be a 56 church cycling tour of the area. The gargoyles here were very high up on the tower. They were a delight! Pictured below right is a mooning gargoyle. This was only the second that I had seen in the area, the other being at Glinton. If anything, I feel that this one is a better one than at Glinton! The gargoyle to the right of that is considerably newer and a lot lower down..hence the greater clarity!
