Holy Rood - a Saxon Church in Daglingworth

We are three miles outside Cirencester having driven up to Daglingworth via the Fosse Way - a road that is one of the greatest legacies left to us from the Roman period. Even today this straight long road links up Exeter, Bath, Cirencester, the Cotswolds, Leicester and Lincoln.

The ripple of gold in the oat fields, the berries festooning the hedgerows, and gardens laden with fruit and vegetables are prime indicators that September is now here. 

We have arrived in the Cotswold village of Daglingworth, where we are endeavouring to find our bearings as we seek their small Saxon church, but what is this that has just flown in?

I wonder if this juvenile Grey Heron has also lost its bearings? But I think not, judging by the pond weed clinging to his legs, he obviously knows and frequents the small stream that burbles through the village. 

As we wander the narrow lanes a young Dachshund barks voraciously at us - is he warning us off, or is he just seeking our attention? Tentatively, I wander over to him, he wags his tail, and obviously wants to be stroked. If he could jump down off his wall, then I think that he would happily join us on our walk. 

We spot Holy Rood and head up along Church Lane towards it, but as we draw near, we realise that a wedding is in progress.

However, we can bide our time in the churchyard until it is over. 

In the churchyard are the remains of what is thought to be a very early Christian meeting cross. It is where the villagers would have gathered to listen to a preacher and say prayers long before the Saxon church was even built. 

Suddenly the silence is broken as the church bells ring out their joyous message across the valley, and then the newly married couple appear.  

We enjoyed seeing the bride and groom and their guests as they departed for their reception. It made us feel that all's well in the world, even if it's not.

This little Saxon church was drastically 'restored' during the mid 19th century, but happily the four rare Anglo Saxon sculptures that we have come to see remain intact.

The first shows St. Peter clutching a book to his breast whilst in his other hand he holds a giant key aloft, and posed as if ready to unlock the gates to heaven. It is Romanesque in style and carved out of local Cotswold stone. 

The second sculpture is of Christ in Majesty with a cruciform halo. He is seated on a basic chair wearing a long garment with a simple opening at the neck, and fastened by a band around the waist. He is portrayed with a beard and moustache, and holds a cross in his left hand, whilst giving the benediction with his right.

The Crucifixion shows Christ bearded and moustached, he is represented on the cross as a large and dominant figure in comparison to the other figures - the Anglo Saxons disliked showing Christ as a broken man. The figures either side are Roman soldiers: one (Longinus) holds a lance with which he pierced Christ's side. The other (Stephaton) holds a vinegar-soaked sponge which he used to increase the pain of Christ's wounds.

All three sculptures are in a single artistic style and are considered to be the work of just one craftsman.

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These three plaques were found unexpectedly when the chancel arch was rebuilt in 1850. It appears that they had been reused by the original Anglo Saxon church builders (the sculptural images were hidden, facing inwards) and used to form the vertical jambs to the chancel arch, presumably having been discarded. Nikolaus Pevsner, the eminent architectural historian, suggests that this must surely point to the fact that they are, in fact, much earlier than this 10th century Saxon church. He suggests that they are 8th/9th century or possibly even earlier, so there is a strong likelihood that these carvings are over 1200 years old. 

The smallest piece showing the Crucifixion has suffered badly from weathering. It was originally sited outside on the East Gable end of the church, before being removed and brought inside for safety.