We are dating this timber church to the mid-Saxon period (or is that 'pre-Anglo-Scandinavian?). As you can see from the photograph, this church, discovered within the interior of St Mary's Bedingham, is considerably smaller than that found within South Lopham. We believe that this is indicative of the fact that people were much smaller in the olden days, due to poor diet, intrinsic tiny-ness and other such scientifically substantiated reasons.
R.S.A.R member, the contrarian and curmudgeon, Aunty Gary further speculates...
"The small scale of this structure may also be explained by the fact that this would make it less open to attack. After all, who would notice it?"
All in all then, once again, with keen minds and eyes, the Ragged Ramblers discover remarkable things where others might walk by.
Huzzah!
This structure is clearly early Saxon in origin. The small scale of the church, which Ragged Ramblers correctly ascribe to the smallness of pre-now peoples is one thing, but there is also the presence of the big bench that this church was constructed upon.
ReplyDeleteDid not the Pope write to St Augustine regarding his mission to covert Aethelbert, King of Kent in 597, advising him to build churches "Really high up" so as to raise them above the Pagan shrines? Yes I'm sure he did - The very same letter in which he asked the Venerable Saint to "Bring him back something nice".
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DeleteAunty Gary's head is so full of wisdom that you can hear his skull creak and groan keeping all that cleverness inside.
ReplyDelete