The Pulpit

The bottom half of the pulpit, as a glance will tell you is pure junk. The top half, however, is quite another matter. It is made up of seventeenth century linen-fold panelling.

This panelling - more of which is to be seen in the pew ends - is the chief glory of the church, at least in the sense that it is what gets us into the pukka guide books about English parish churches.

The reason for the name is clear enough. The carving resembles the folds of hanging linen.

At first sight it may be thought rather non-descript. If this is how it strikes you, break off your tour and go to the north side (the organ side) of the cross aisle. At the bottom left hand corner of the pew you will see a panel of a markedly different colour. 

The old linen fold panel that was here rotted and has been replaced by one cut on a computer lathe. It is utterly uniform and utterly dead. Suddenly you come to appreciate the real linen fold. Every fold is hand cut and every fold and line is subtly different. It is alive in a way that its modern counterpart is most definitely not. 

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The  Pulpit

The  Pulpit - detail