I’ve been meaning to check out St Martin’s for some time. It’s a bit further out of Stamford town centre than a number of this towns’ other magnificent ecclesiastical edifices. Today I finally did so.
Like practically all old Anglican churches, there’s always something to engage and fascinate. And more often than not, more than just one thing.
Around the altar end of the church the pavement is terrific. I adore this style of tiling. I must find out what it’s called. I want to have a crack at making a floor inspired by this style in our home.
Initially, when I walked in, I was a little underwhelmed. But as I explored, and looked harder, that all changed. For one thing, there are several super ostentatious memorials.
After examining these monuments to the pride of the ‘great and good’ (harrumph!), I went and looked at the pulpit. And from the pulpit. It was from this elevated position that another aspect of the riches of this building struck home.
Above, mostly views from the pulpit, and a few other sundry snaps.
Next up a gallery of carved wood. First the rood screen, and sundry other bits, and then a whole load of stuff from the pulpit. The pulpit is ornamented with some terrific carving.
But, for me, the real highlight here is the old medieval stained-glass. I only twigged to it when I was up in the pulpit; I realised that certain segments – it’s the figurative stuff that gives it away – had a gorgeous primitive charm.
I’ll start with a general gallery, of the various windows (they’re actually in a kind of sequential order, photographed as I walked further into the church), before looking at some of them – the ones with the older stuff in them – in more detail.
Once I’d realised how exquisite some of the glass is, I went back photographing windows in more detail. Some of that stuff now follows…
I’ve attempted to group them by window.
Truth be told I’m not sure if I’ve managed to do so?
But, well… whatever, as folk say these days. They are what they is.
After the sacred sojourn of St Martin’s, I went to St Mary’s Books & Prints, a favourite haunt of mine, when in ol’ Stamford Town. I wanted to see if they had this title in stock (they are an official Taschen reseller):
But they didn’t. Instead, I picked up this:
… which seemed very apt, given the reveries the stained glass at St Martin’s caused.