After looking round the Gothic Rococo delights of Shobdon Church we walked up to the Shobdon Arches which are important remains from the Norman Church built by Oliver de Merlimond in the C12th (between 1136 and 1143). They are possibly the earliest example of work by the Herefordshire School of Romanesque Sculptors. Since 1752 around the time the new church was the built the Arches, which comprise the Chancel Arch and two doorways plus tympana of the Norman Church, have formed a folly.
The Herefordshire School of Romanesque Sculptors carried out work between c1134 and c 1155 in churches in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. They were a group of sculptors who may have received their training at Hereford Cathedral. Their work was of the highest quality and was among the finest of English Romanesque sculpture. Their carvings drew on both Christian and Pagan symbols and could be bawdy at times.
The main researchers and writers on the School are George Zarnecki and Malcolm Thurlby. We do not know the names of the sculptors although two were referred to as "The Chief Master" and the "Aston Master" Examples of their work can be seen at places such as Leominster Priory, fonts at Castle Frome, Eardisley and Chaddesley Corbett churches, Shobdon (font and arches) and the outstanding church at Kilpeck.
To reach the Arches you walk along a grassed avenue between rows of oak trees for about a quarter of a mile.
Nearly there!
The Arches are an impressive sight although sadly they are very weathered and eroded due to exposure to the elements and many of the details of the carvings have been lost.
The gables, pinnacles and crockets were added in the C18th when they became very fashionable.
You can still make out some of the carvings on this tympanum which represents Christ in Glory. Christ is in an oval mandorla surrounded by four angels. His right hand is raised in blessing and in his left he holds a book which rests on his leg.
The Doorways have two orders of shafts and the Chancel Arch in the centre has three. All the shafts and capitals are decorated and although many details cannot now be made out carvings include:
- beaded and plain interlace
- human figures and dragons with Anglo Saxon or Scandinavian influence
- chevrons
- Foliage trails
- male figures wearing ribbed garments similar to those at Kilpeck
- quadrupeds in twisted poses
- serpents with gaping mouths.
Perhaps a serpent with gaping mouth on the left capital?
The other tympanum represents the Harrowing of Hell. You can't really make out the details but it showed the figure of Jesus Christ thrusting a large cross into the mouth of Hell (a dragon) and pulling out Adam and Eve.
Fortunately drawings of the carvings exist in a book by GR Lewis called "The Ancient Church of Shobdon" (1852)which illustrates how the carvings once looked.
In 1998 the Shobdon Arch Preservation Trust arranged for work to be carried out by S T Walker and Partners to stabilise the structure and to arrest further flaking.
We popped into the village of Shobdon on the way home in search of a village shop that we thought sold beeswax candles but failed to find it. So to finish off a photo of the postbox in the village. I do like postboxes and all the different styles you can find.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would appreciate an email first - thanks).
Reference: Pevsner "Buildings of England Herefordshire" by Alan Brooks and Nikolaus Pevsner, Yale University Press 2017
"Herefordshire School of Romanesque Scupture" by Malcolm Thurlby Logaston Press 2016
"Churches of Herefordshire and Their Treasures" by John Leonard Logaston Press 2005 ed
Shobdon Church Guide Section on the Shobdon Arches by Muriel Passey
10 comments:
What an amazing ruins? As you say, they are eroded, but I think all things considered the condition is quite incredible, given their exposed aspect to the elements, age, and presumable neglect until the Shobdon Arches Preservation Trust took over the maintenance of what has now become a folly. The approach through the avenue of oak trees is quite something in its own right, too.
Rustic Pumpkin - Thanks so much. I agree all things considered the condition could be a lot worse!! I can't tell you how much I have wanted to visit them and the church for years now! The avenue is lovely as you say and so is the location. Some of those Herefordshire churches are in some wonderful settings.
Such a lovely walk up to the arches and to finally glimpse them through the trees. Even though weathered the carvings are still fascinating. It's good that there are drawings of how they looked in the 19th century and that they are looked after by a preservation trust:)
I'm SO glad you finally got there. I took myself there for my birthday after we'd got here. My first "alone birthday" as Keith wasn't up to it.
I do wish they could protect these arches inside clear perspex covers like they've done with the most vulnerable Pictish symbol stones. It breaks my heart to see them up where the worst of the weather will get them and erode those fabulous carved designs. Even a weatherbreak would keep the worst of the westerlies off them . . .
Thank you for sharing your photos.
Rosie - Thanks so much. I've got illustrations of the drawings of the Arches as they once looked in the book by Malcolm Thurlby but I didn't like to add photos of those to my blog as I am always a bit worried about copyright! Compared to Kilpeck church where the carvings are so well preserved it really is a shame about the Arches deterioration.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. Pleased you have visited too. It took me 4 years to get round to it!
I didn't know about the clear perspex covers that could be used - but it is sad the way they have weathered unlike the quality say at Kilpeck or Leominster Priory. But the location is SO exposed where the Arches are. At least they were saved when the church was rebuilt which I suppose is something to be grateful for.
The arches look fascinating. I need explore Herefordshire to find the fascinating places that you post about.
CherryPie - Thank you. There are some great places in Herefordshire there really are.
great post! Am i the only one who wished the old church had still been in place? Can't say I'm a fan of the new one....
The Quacks of Life - Thanks so much. I totally agree with you about the new church tbh. It even lacked any wow factor in surprise as I had seen so many photos of it before visiting so knew what to expect! The doorways and chancel arch in the Shobdon Arches would no doubt have been far better preserved if they had still been located in the old church! Thank goodness they eventually rescued the font! Give me a medieval church anytime!
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