Monday 4 March 2013

Our Carvings - and Other Gargoyles and Grotesques

Thaxted Church



If I sometimes have a feeling of being watched, then it's no wonder, because there are many different carved faces around the smallholding.  Over the years, we've added them to the barn and to fences - and we've even carved them into gate posts and hedges.  I didn't realise, until recently, just how many faces we do have around the place; we certainly seem to have added a whole new bunch of characters to our home.

Most of our carvings are of wood; it's the material we work with most and have available on the smallholding.  Our main carving is our wizard, of course, (please see picture at the side of the page, below, as well as, my earlier post about him) - and at the same time he was created, Simon Hedger (our visiting woodcarver) also produced a face from a chunk of oak.  This carving was inspired by the grotesques sometimes seen on churches and cathedrals - and then the shape of the piece of wood dictated the contours of the finished face.
Our grotesque on the front of the barn
Over the years, we've also bought Green Men and May Queen wall plaques, and these hang on fences and walls and in different corners of the smallholding - sometimes barely glimpsed through leaves and flowers, and sometimes in plain sight.






Because we love grotesques, we're now considering putting up more on the barn - and to get ideas of the faces we'd like, I took some photographs of grotesques and gargoyles on local churches.  One of the best churches for this is Thaxted Church; a large and grand church with some wonderful gargoyles and grotesques on the walls outside.

Thaxted Church



Thaxted Church


Thaxted Church






I find it really fascinating that sometimes even the smallest parish churches can have grotesques peering back at me; and I wonder if they were based on the faces of local villagers living at the time.  Thinking about this gives me an idea for future carvings for our barn, although - instead of carvings based on local villagers - perhaps I ought to think about faces closer to home...

Actually; I think I'd like the idea of my face carved as a gargoyle or grotesque.  After all; why not? Why be vain?!!

Although we asked an expert woodcarver to carve here before, we've had a go at some carving ourselves. This weekend we carved these fence posts, below, from sweet chestnut - and they're now ready to be put into place.



I don't think we've the sort of place for statues, but I do think we've room for more faces.  They could be mythical, beautiful or comical - and they'll soon become an established feature of the smallholding.

22 comments:

  1. How fascinating - and your own carvings are wonderful. I think the idea of giving character to your posts is brilliant. Funny how even the most grotesque gargoyles seem benevolent.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you. We did have fun with the carving - and it will make the fence posts look a little more interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Isn't it strange how you can feel faces in buildings and etc are sometimes watching you? I love the green man and your own carvings will look wonderful lined up in a fence:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Yes, I agree about being watched - I certainly felt under the gaze of those gargoyles and grotesques on Thaxted church.

      Delete
  4. What a brilliant idea, I suspect you are the only smallholding in the world with such a wonderful array of carvings. I really liked them all, especially the green man, and I think your own hand carved ones are fantastic.
    A really interesting post, that has given me a few ideas!!!xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. We've certainly accumulated a few carvings one way or the other and we're really pleased how our own efforts have turned out. I'm sure we'll end up with more!

      Delete
  5. Lovely blog and wonderful fence posts, Wendy :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello - and thank you. I've just visited your blog and I love your photographs.

      Delete
    2. I must visit Thaxted Church again... I'm up that way quite regularly... and thanks for your kind comment about my photographs!

      Delete
    3. Thaxted Church is impressive, isn't it? I think because it stands on the hill and can be seen from miles around, the first sight of it is striking.

      Delete
  6. I love your fence posts, what a great way to put something of yourselves into your smallholding. Those gargoyles are amazing too, but it is the Green Man I have fallen for, where did you find him?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Our Green Man and May Queen plaques were bought from a company called Hedingham Fair a few years ago. We've bought some things from them online, but the plaque in the photograph was actually bought when they had a stall one day in Thaxted, right under the shadows of the gargoyles!

      Delete
  7. Love your fence post carvings - they look like pieces from a chess set - how creative you are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Well, we made the fence posts up as we went along with a sort of vague idea of knights/warriors. I think you're right; they do have a look of chess-pieces. And they now have some guarding to do on a boundary!

      Delete
  8. Love them all! The Green Man is wonderful and I love the fence post men too. I wonder if I could get Ian to have a go. he is out in the barn making a basket right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Well, I do enjoy reading Ian's blog very much and have seen him make some fine things with wood. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished basket!

      Delete
  9. Thanks for your kind comment on my blog Wendy- I've just been reading through yours- it's brilliant and I shall add you to my list to follow. I absolutely love the carvings and the chair and tables you've made- it's a real talent and how lovely to have things like that made from your own wood and by your own hand. I am v jealous! CT x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello - and thank you. I've enjoyed reading your own stories! We just have a real love for wood here; we're always finding new things to create with it.

      Delete
  10. I love your fence posts ,thank you for leaving me a comment and introducing me to your lovely blog. Your barn looks so lovely and it must be wonderful to have an orchard and a small holding.
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello - and thank you. I'm glad I found your blog and I look forward to following what you do. We do feel fortunate to have our smallholding, even though it can be hard work at times!

      Delete
  11. Hello Wendy, what a wonderful way to bring personalities to your 'smallholding' (I'm certain that name is a misnomer as there is such a lot of work to keep it maintained!)
    I shall enjoy reading about some of your other projects and adventures.
    Best wishes
    Rose H

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Rose - and thank you. I look forward to following your own stories, too!

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to leave any comments. I do love to read them.