Art old and new 3

An interior view of St. George the Martyr. Note proper pews. complete with a special row of raised pews at the back. No-one suitable there to ask who got to sit in them in the days when this was a rich and busy living. Complete also with a handsome pulpit, visible on the right of the snap left, which I did not try, despite it being open to visitors. I plead lack of suitable text for the occasion.

Plaster work above holding in there, although clearly not in the first flush of youth.

Could have done without the heraldry, but I suppose you have to make what use of these places you can. They might be handsome & historic buildings, but what on earth is one to do with them? Is it fair to expect the poor old C of E to be reduced to a heritage site operator, along the lines of one of the other heritage outfits? The C of E may have seem better days. but I dare say they still have some pride. While I wonder this afternoon what proportion of their clergy can now construe the verse of Horace or read the Bible in whatever language that was first written down in, such stuff being said to be the staple diet of clergy in the better livings, in the olden days.

Reference 1: the last visit to the place: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/an-outing-in-four-parts.html.