chrispmim avatar

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A guidebook tells us that carvings mounted at the aisle end of the pews depict a cockerel, lily in a vase, vicar in the pulpit, someone praying...

The craftsmen’s hands are the first to leave traces of grime and flakes of skin.

Other hands follow. For some, like the old and infirm, the carvings are gripped as a means of support. For others, they have tactile appeal, or are abstractedly brushed. All leave a layer of grime and skin.

In the solitude of Binham Priory, I caress the carvings. Eroded by centuries of touch, they are as smooth as bone.

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  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 7 years ago

    This is a very thought provoking piece, Chris, in a very reflective way. I have, on occasion, pondered the provenance of the pews, but your drabble layers the subject with a particular humanity.

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