Thursday, July 10, 2014

Library Cards and Iffley

Our first Friday took us to the Bodleian Library to pick up our library cards. We cycled down over a path which would soon become familiar and into the heart of town. 
We stopped to talk about the Bridge of Sighs and continued to the Old Bodleian.
This room has been used to house Parliment, and it was where we swore our oath before being allowed to use the library.
"I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, nor to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document or other object belonging to it or in its custody; not to bring into the Library, or kindle therein, any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library."

That Saturday we piled onto a bus and drove not far away to the little village of Iffley. We passed thatched houses because England still thatches their houses. The church there was built c. 1180 AD and is fairly undespoiled by King Henry VIII and the Victorians and the change in taste and liturgy. Because the money from the church was sent a few counties away to support an arms house there wasn't enough to keep up with the changes needed by the alteration of the Catholic liturgy. This is why it has stayed with just the nave without any isles. The Victorians did add an organ over the South door, traditionally the main entrance, so we go in using the grand West door. 
Outside there is this stone basin. Apparently it was dug up near by but no one knows where it came from. One of the lecturers, after taking a closer look, thinks that it might be the original font and the one inside is a later addition, from the 15th century. It's just speculation, but it makes sense since the stone basin clearly had a lock on it,  likely to keep the holy water in.
This is the now unused south door. Churches were traditionally built facing the east, so the south door faced the sun and was considered the door of life. It was the common door for common people. The West door is usually more decorated.
I don't seem to have a picture of the full West door, but here is a good closeup of the detailed bird heads which cover the arch. As a design element it seems to have developed out of the classic Saxon chevrons which you see further in. The outside ring is the signs of the zidiac with a few more carvings tacked on the end to fill out the space.
Lastly, we saw a carving of a "green man". No one knows his definitive story or why he appears all over England, always with vegetation growing out of his mouth. I get that he is a fertility symbol of life and regrowth, but I would really like to hear his myth.
Just for reference, this is a Victorian Green Man on Rose Lane by the Rad Cam and Brasenose College. Man, with plants growing out of his mouth.


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