The Plan the Church
The Church Tower
The
Angels on this guide were drawn by James Tovey, 2001
Click on the Angel to
see a plan of the Angel Roof
THE CHURCH OF ST KYNEBURGHA OF CASTOR - THE ANGEL ROOF
The roof of the Nave, Side Aisles, South Porch and Priest's Room at the Church of St Kyneburgha of Castor all have carved figures, carved into the roof beams, and into the wooden upright posts supporting the beams. The current almost flat leaded roof replaced an earlier pitched roof in the 15th century. The roof illustrates the words from the Prayer of Consecration in the Mass, when the Priest says "therefore with Angels and Archangels and the whole company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious name…" The total number of Carved Figures is 66.
Central Nave Roof:
12 Winged Angels carved into the horizontal
roof beams. 8 Upright Figures carved in the vertical upright support
posts.
Description of the 12 winged Angels from East to West:
North Side Central Nave Roof:
1. Red Robed winged full length
Angel, carrying cross keys on a shield
2. Green Robed winged full length
Angel, carrying pan - pipes.
3. Gold feathered body winged full length
Angel, carrying a mandolin.
4. Gold feathered body winged full length
Angel, carrying a flute.
5. Green Robed winged full length Angel, carrying
a scroll.
6. Gold feathered body winged full length Angel, carrying a
flute.
South Side Central Nave Roof:
7. Green Robed winged full length
Angel carrying a ? flute
8. Gold Feathered body winged full length Angel
carrying a Tambourine
9. Gold Feathered body winged full length Angel
carrying a Mandolin
10. Red Robed winged full length Angel carrying a
Shield
11. Gold Feathered body winged full length Angel with "Hands down"
12. Gold Feathered body winged full length Angel with "Hands up"
The North and South Aisle Roof:
There are 12 Carved Figures
carved into the horizontal roof beams, and 8 Upright Figures carved in the
vertical upright support posts in each of the North and South Aisle. The
horizontal figures in the North or South Aisle may well all be angels,
carrying a variety of instruments, shields etc. In the North Aisle 3 are
feathered, painted gold. In the South Aisle 4 are feathered, painted gold.
They are about one third to one half the size of the Winged Angels in the
Central Nave.
Porch
2 Carved Figures carved into the horizontal roof beams.
East side figure feathered with mandolin. West side figure feathered with
flute.
2 Upright Figures (which may be Bishops) carved in the vertical
upright support posts closest to the inner porch door.
Priest's Room
2 Carved Figures carved into the horizontal roof
beams, which are clearly Angels. Although their wings are missing, the slots
in their sides where their wings were inserted are visible. East side figure
robed with pan-pipes. West side figure feathered with tambourine. Both
unpainted and about 40 inches long.
Upright Figures
The upright figures may well be Saints (in some
cases they are carrying churches etc) They are cloaked, as well as robed in
most cases.