Barnack. church : st john the baptist
interior photographs
A visit to the church of St Joun The Baptist at Barnack. This is probably, along with the church of St Kyneburgha at Castor, my most favourite church in the catchment area of this site. A lot to see, too much for one page, so I am producing a page for interior photographs and a page for exterior photographs.
As on my previous visits, this church was open and welcoming. Inside my attention was immediately caught by a stunning depiction of the crucifiction hanging from the ceiling at the entrance to the chancel. The chancel ceiling is painted blue with stars on it. In the chancel there is a painted monument, high up on the north wall. This was difficult to photograph given its height. Some evidence of damage, with at least one female child being without head. There was a date of 1598 on this. Symbols of mortality could be found on this monument. At each of the two top corners there is a human skull resting on a human bone, this symbolising man's mortality. Elsewhere, there is a winged hourglass denoting the passing of time. Both of these were pretty typical images of mortality that are often found on monuments and gravestones. The same symbols were still being used more than 200 years later.
The Nave dates from the late 12th -early 13th Century and the chancel dates from the 14th Century. To the North of the chancel is a 14th Century Chapel, which houses effegies of a cross legged Knight, though to be Geoffrey De Barnac and Margaret Vincent, the wife of John Vincent who was the Lord of the Manor in the early 15th Century.
The sculpture of Christ in Majesty was found in the floor of the church and is thought to date from Saxon times. This now sits proudly in the North Aisle. The font is beautifully carved and dates from the 13th Century.
The stained glass within this church is mostly modern. There are a few fragments of saxon stonework to be seen inside the church as well.
All in all, a remarkable church, inside and out. Well worth a look if you are in the area....just leave yourself a lot of time to look around!!
