Volume 10: The West Midlands

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Current Display: Church Stretton 1, Shropshire Forward button Back button
Overview
Present Location
Re-set externally over the north doorway in the nave.
Evidence for Discovery
None
Church Dedication
St Laurence
Present Condition
Rather worn with few surface details
Description

Figure carved in low relief against a shallow, cut-back background. The stone on which the figure is carved is straight on the east side and the top, fairly straight at the bottom and irregular on the west side. The figure has a round head with a flat face. The eyes are damaged but the remains of the figure's right eye is large and round. The nose is a broad wedge, while the mouth is little more than a slit. The figure's neck is nearly as wide as the rather narrow chest. The thin arms are carved with the elbows out and hands clasped in front of the body. It is difficult to establish whether the figure is standing or seated, but the latter seems more likely — in which case the knees are rounded, the lower legs quite short and the feet large and downward pointing. There is a filled hole at the point between the figure's legs where it would be possible to establish whether it is male or female.

Discussion

Appendix A item (stones dating from Saxo-Norman overlap period or of uncertain date)

This carving is normally described as a sheila-na-gig or a fertility symbol. It is possible that the figure holds something square and flat in its hands, a book or box, or perhaps a set of panpipes. If what are described as the knees above are in fact broad, roughly textures thighs, then this could be the figure of Pan with his pipes. The figure is, however, too weathered to be confident about any such interpretation and, as with the majority of these figures, it is not really possible to date this carving with any degree of confidence.

Date
Uncertain; possibly eleventh century or earlier
References
Cox 1997, 24; Leonard 2004, 45, 198, fig. 98
Endnotes

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