Church Interior Series: Unusual at St Dunstan

Today we are back to St Dunstan's Church.
These is the view from underneath a strange lamp, and one fo the many unusual features in St Dunstan.

Church Interior Series: Rustic Crucifix

This crucifix is a very unusual and intriguing piece.
I found it in St Dunstans Church.

Window Series: St Dunstan Church

Time I showed you guys another window...
This was taken a few weeks ago at St Dunstans Church.

St Dunstans Church - Thomas More

I am sure most of you know who St Thomas More was but, in case you are just another ignorant moron, here is a bit more about the guy who wrote Utopia - not only wrote but he invented the word too - and one of the most important Renaissance Humanists in England.

Born in London on 07/02/1478 he became a lawyer (his father was rich) and by the age of 23 he was already a barrister - yes, the lucky bugger was clever too. In fact, he was so clever that by the tender age of 43, he became an advisor of King Henry VIII. His political career didn't stop there though: in 1523 he also became Speaker of the House of Commons, and in 1529 he was promoted to Lord Chancellor.

Unfortunately, he was also a very (I mean very) religious guy - flagelation was just one of the many things included in his daily routine (I did say he was very religious!) and after a series of political bad moves he ended up refusing to sign the Act of Supremacy which made King Henry VIII the new Super Pope.

As you can imagine, that didn't go down well with his boss and in those days, sacking the poor guy was not enough: you had to behead him too. God, don't wish you could still behead a few now? (Fred Goodwin, Madoff, Peter Cummings, to name a few).

Anyway, how does this guy end up in St Dunstan's Church in Canterbury?

Well, his daughter Margaret was married to the rich local Roper family and they managed to rescue her dad's head which after a week on a spike in London Bridge was ready to be thrown in the Thames. She brought it back with her and buried it in her Roper Vault where it aparantly still is. Don't worry, if you visit, you don't have to see it.

More was canonised in 1935 and is highly revered by the Catholic Church.

Read more about The Life of Thomas More

Queen Elizabeth II

Today the Queen celebrates her 57th year in the throne.

I found this hassock in St Dunstan Church. It was knitted by local ladies to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

She

Windows Series - St Dunstan

Again, I am aware of this not being a great photo from a technical perspective but if you want to have a good idea of what St Dunstan in Canterbury looked like the last time I dropped by, you can hardly get it better.
The only light coming into the room was from the small windows - not many and a few with stained glass. It was, still, a beautifull place to be...

Theme Day: Path and Passage

St Dunstan Church - Canterbury

Today is a special day for me. I have been publishing photos of Canterbury and the neighbouring areas for one year.

I thought I would take you to a special place. Somewhere I have not taken you before. So I have brought you to St Dunstan's Church, an extremely important place in the history of Canterbury and Britain.

It was here in July, 1174, that King Henry II, came to pay his penance for the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury, St Thomas Becket. He arrived at St. Dunstan's, changed into sackcloth and ashes and walked barefeet to Becket's grave in Canterbury Cathedral where he prayed for forgiviness.

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