Reviewing my photos of Surrey churches I realise that somehow I'd overlooked two representations of St Catherine which should go here, as it's the only place they will be recorded. This is from Holmbury St Mary, one light of a window where she appears as a pair with St Lucy:
More remarkable is one from Dunsfold; here St Catherine peeps from a crowd of adoring saints, only just identifiable by a fragment of wheel. It took a while before I noticed her among the faces. Following the great tradition of depicting female saints looking curiously remiscent of stars of the day, I think this Catherine has a touch of Fay Wray.
It's a shame that we can't send photos in the comments, as I'm sure you would enjoy a picture of St Catherine's Chapel at Chesterfield. Incidentally, my primary school in Bletchingley was colloquially known in the village as St Catherine's School.
ReplyDeleteDo you know why, John?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's in the area known as St Catherine's Cross where there was allegedly a shrine to the saint on the Godstone road in the middle ages. There is a St Catherine's Chapel in Bletchingley Church in which the most prominent object is the vast and magnificent Clayton monument of 1710. Nothing appropriate to St Catherine, even though the church has long been mildly Anglo-Catholic.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDelete