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a pagan image in church
by tylluanpenry @ Saturday, 05. Apr, 2008 - 08:23:03

The lovely old Church of Kilpeck in Herefordshire is not where you'd expect to find a 'lewd' image. Well, the Victorians thought it was lewd anyway, and it didn't take all that much to offend them.... however even to the modern eye, the strange stone carving of the naked and obviously female Sheela-na-gig (there are many spellings for this) is slightly shocking. You certainly don't expect to find it on a church.

In fact this strange figure - often said to portray a fertility goddess - can be found all over Britain and in many parts of Europe.

If this has intrigued you enough to explore a little further, please try this site where you will find many images of the strange figure:

http://www.jharding.demon.co.uk/index.htm#http://www.jharding.demon.co.uk/SheelaNaGigIndex.htm

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UsksiderUsksider pro
http://www.usksider.co.uk
2008-04-05 @ 08:32

Some of those figures are bit... er... well... explicit aren't they? No wonder the Victorians were blushing! :))

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:48

They are indeed! I think a visit to Kilpeck Church will be in order later this year!

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UsksiderUsksider pro
http://www.usksider.co.uk
2008-04-06 @ 07:44

Funny you should say that... I was looking through the list and thinking of making the odd visit myself.

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ranfuchsranfuchs pro
2008-04-05 @ 10:23

as a pegan, what does such image mean to you?

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:50

As a pagan I would say that I find the image intriguing. It's all a question of context, for example, a cabbage in a vegetable patch is unremarkable whereas a cabbage in the middle of the Mojave Desert might be more noticable.
So the Sheela-na-gig is remarkable precisely because she is found in the one place I would consider least likely.

Whether she is/was a deity, I don't know. But maybe one day I'll find out!

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ranfuchsranfuchs pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:56

so what does it really mean being a pagan. I must confess I am rather ignorant

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 21:15

Pagan is a wide umbrella term, that covers a huge variety of beliefs and practises. There are people who follow specific pagan paths, such as classical pagans, Druids, heathens, wiccans etc.

It's easiest in some ways to start with what paganism is NOT and work backwards!

Paganism means many things to different people. Often it's polytheistic, but there is a type of 'soft' paganism that is almost monotheistic (think of Akhenaten!)

I tend to regard Paganism as an inclusive term - it's appropriate in the context of my post because whatever those Sheela na gigs represent, it's highly unlikely they have any Christian symbolism.

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kaimi0achavakaimi0achava [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 11:09

They looked a bit like a naked alien.. perhaps that is something else the church has kept hidden. :))

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:51

They do, don't they? Where are Mulder and Scully when you need them? :)

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freeasthewindfreeasthewind [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 16:54

Interesting will have to take time to look into it more when I am at home

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:51

Hope you enjoy checking them out!

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wendlanewendlane pro
2008-04-05 @ 17:14

That is weird I was almost going to post on sheelagh a day or two ago -she is SUCH a hussy :))

I am really interested in the conceptual art of Tracey Emin - I know she is not regarded as an 'artist' by many, I actually disagree with that opinion now after being a detractor for many years -she has a series of drawings that are very similar to the sheelagh na gig images with coins tumbling out from between a females legs.

I believe that SNG is a very humourous figure. Interesting post :yes:

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 20:52

It must be synchronicity! I've read a number of conflicting theories about the SNG but am resigned to the fact that we may never know the truth. That said, I'll still keep searching!

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Mrs_FMrs_F [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 18:10

Funnily enough Mr S and I were discussing Sheelagh's last weekend at Avebury after we came out of the Henge shop. It is interesting how so many pagan images, Sheelagh's and green men and gargoyles appear in churches.

I am not certain sometimes whether they are there to ward off the evil eye or if they are the handiwork of pagan artists who got fed up with carving holy stuff all the time.

Sheelagh Na Gig means Sheila of the breasts I think and I seem to recall some of the older Sheila Na Gigs in Ireland are just bare breasted women and are not displaying their genitals. I am fairly certain that they are a continuation of a tradition which elebrated female fertility, dating from a time when Nakedness in context was considered sacred rather than rude or pornographic. But hey what do I know. ;)
http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/stbrigid/SHEELAGH.html

X

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 21:08

Yes, it's fascinating that such figures appear in a church setting because they clearly have nothing to do with Christianity. I suspect these carvings may have been a coded message to the pagan faithful, perhaps that the Old Ways were still followed in the area. I certainly believe the Sheela-na-gig must date from a time when the sacred feminine was celebrated rather than demonised.

Thank you for the link - although it does place the church in Hertfordshire rather than Herefordshire where it rightfully belongs!

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Mrs_FMrs_F [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 21:17

Yes I saw that, but I am not familiar with the church and wasn't sure which was correct but I assumed it was in Herefordshire as that is closer to you I thought.

I think that the Old ways have always been preserved/followed, but only come to the surface from time to time when society appears to be more lenient. Even in relatively recent times, there has been a certain amount of suspicion and demonisation of pagans. (That was bad grammar - sorry).

X

:)

X

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 21:41

I only thought I would mention about the county in case you were thinking of a visit there! :) I too believe that the Old Ways were preserved and have been followed since ancient times in some form or another - it's not a popular theory any more, I know, but coming from a line of witches I suspect there's quite a bit of truth in it.

As you rightly say, even recently pagans have been demonised.

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skip2468skip2468 [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 20:44

Are you trying to start a stampede?

Wondering if I should risk checking your link - lol.

Please advise me.

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-05 @ 21:09

As long as you're not easily shocked, Skip, I think you'd probably be okay checking the link! :)

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miramazemiramaze [Member]
2008-04-05 @ 22:40

Thank you for this post about Sheelagh's. I'd never heard of them. I have seen a carving of the masturbating monkey in the choir stalls in Lancaster cathedral- it was pointed out to me by the verger.;)

Latvian foll lore contains millions of 4 line rhyming verses called " dainas " that describe every aspect of life and death and they include " naughty " ones too.

I don't think the Pagans would have considered any bodily functions and parts as " naughty" so it doesn't surprise or shock me. Look at the postcards of Greek Gods with their enormous phallus. I'm glad they stayed on in the churches.

Thanks for a very interesting post and links .. will read properly tomorrow .

XX

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-06 @ 20:46

Glad you found the post interesting, Mira. I agree that I don't think the Pagans would have considered the Sheela na gigs 'naughty' although it has been suggested that some Victorians tried to destroy them.

I can help but wonder why they were put up on a church, though! :)

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miramazemiramaze [Member]
2008-04-06 @ 21:05

I wonder that too, Still .. a sacred place is fitting for sacred carvings, if they are seen as such.

Victorians were strange :roll:

X

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Poetyman69Poetyman69 [Member]
2008-04-06 @ 16:11

bits of well worn rock. takes some well worn imagination to see much in them offensive or otherwize

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tylluanpenrytylluanpenry pro
2008-04-06 @ 20:51

Thank you for visiting my blog and posting here. :) It's the intention behind the original carving that fascinates me... I don't think something like would be put up outside a modern church somehow!

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