Post by lorna on Nov 12, 2015 11:58:06 GMT -1
Here are some pictures I took recently of a beautifully preserved altar to the Matres in Lund, just outside Preston, at the church of St John the Evangelist.
A leaflet within the church based states the following:
' Eleven years later comes this entry (from the Parish Records) -
Matt Hall, Churchwarden of Kirkham in 1688 set up a scandalous trough for a font in Lund Chapel.
For this poor Matthew was presented, that is brought before, the bishop of the diocese. History does not record the outcome of the interview, nor for that matter, how he came by the 'scandalous trough' in the first place. It is believed it is of Roman origin, possibly some sixteen hundred years old and served as a pagan altar for the camp in Ribchester where the stone is similar to that of which the font is made. The use of pagan altars as Christian fonts is not unknown and some experts have suggested that the Lund specimen was originally dedicated to the Matres, the mother gods who played an important part in pre-Christian religion. The font is sculpted on three sides with images of what have been taken to be those deities. The fact that the font's back is blank suggests that it originally stood against a wall.'
A leaflet within the church based states the following:
' Eleven years later comes this entry (from the Parish Records) -
Matt Hall, Churchwarden of Kirkham in 1688 set up a scandalous trough for a font in Lund Chapel.
For this poor Matthew was presented, that is brought before, the bishop of the diocese. History does not record the outcome of the interview, nor for that matter, how he came by the 'scandalous trough' in the first place. It is believed it is of Roman origin, possibly some sixteen hundred years old and served as a pagan altar for the camp in Ribchester where the stone is similar to that of which the font is made. The use of pagan altars as Christian fonts is not unknown and some experts have suggested that the Lund specimen was originally dedicated to the Matres, the mother gods who played an important part in pre-Christian religion. The font is sculpted on three sides with images of what have been taken to be those deities. The fact that the font's back is blank suggests that it originally stood against a wall.'
