PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Thursday 3 January 2013

Angels and a Cannon in Utterby

Lift up your eyes in St Andrew's Church, Utterby and you are in for a wonderful treat...
...a host of heavenly angels.



They are paper angels and were made by Martin Pidgen.









He is so talented.











Each angel has a different face, different hairstyle.



I couldn't help but wonder whether they were based on people or children he knows.






They are individually beautiful, but collectively amazing and fit so well into the church.  He made them for Christmas, however, I hope they remain for a long time.

Over the years Martin has made lots of different sculpture groups -  a group of carol singers, Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, Pocahontas and John Smith, Unsung Heroes, What the Dickens, to name a few.   His artwork has also been displayed in Lincoln Cathedral, as well as other local churches.

He makes them up as he goes along - not following any design simply feeling his way with them, finding what works.
Outside St Andrew's the remains of the medieval cross can be seen...now just a three tier plinth.  Quite unremarkable, you may think.   But the story of the missing cross is quite interesting.

Local history says that this cross was knocked off its base by a misdirected cannon ball  which was fired from the vicinity of the packhorse bridge (which I posted about here) by Cromwellian troops.   The target,  Utterby Manor, which lies directly opposite the church,  was the home of a Royalist sympathiser.
Here is a little glimpse of the Manor house; opposite the church and less than a hundred yards from the pack horse bridge.

22 comments:

  1. Quite lovely. I have tiny versions of those angels on our tree

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    1. Hello John, I bet they look just as beautiful too. These angels are life-size - quite a lot of man-hours went into making them!

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  2. What a wonderful job Martin has done with the Angeles. It would be nice to see them there for a while.. I can see why.
    Interesting story about the house... Its still standing!):
    nice post elaine
    val

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    1. Hello Val, I am so pleased you enjoyed seeing them. I would happily go back again tomorrow, they are that lovely. He really is remarkably talented - and a very nice man to boot!

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  3. How wonderful....everything, the angels, St Andrews Church, and of course, the story about the cross. Beautiful post, my dear friend!

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    1. Hello Meggie, I am so glad you enjoyed it. St Andrew's is yet another church which I would love to show you around - and the story of the cross was something I missed out on the first time I visited it. Isn't it amazing what he can do with a few yards of paper, some time and a lot of talent!

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  4. I wondered how--if they are as light as I imagine them to be--they stay in place? It would seem like they would spin.

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    1. Hello Revrunner, I would love to say that they are held up by faith alone, however, the truth is that they have wooden supports...

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  5. Those paper angels are amazing. I hope they stay up there for ever keeping watch over the folks who pass through.

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    1. Hello Molly, I am with you, it would be a real shame if they were to be taken down. I don't imagine that they can be moved, or stored, very easily. Much better to be left where they look so wonderful.

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  6. They are lovely. I hope that they remain in the church for a long time. Jx

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  7. I wonder what has happened to the previous sculptures...they must be so delicate.
    You do live in dangerous parts!
    Jane x

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  8. I didn't realize from the pictures, but should have realized from the perspective, the figures are life size. Such a talent.

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  9. Such a talented person; those angels are magnificent. Thank you for sharing, XOXO

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  10. What a perfect decoration for the holidays. They must have been enjoyed by many people.

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  11. His talent is amazing. I just love these historical jaunts you take us on.

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  12. The paper angels are glorious! What a talented artist! And I love the satory about the cannonball and cross!

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  13. Those are truly remarkable. So beautiful. What beautiful countryside you have there. I am so glad I came by to see it.

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  14. Beautiful decoration for the holidays -- very creative!

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  15. Wow - the paper angels looks amazing!

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  16. Thank you all for your wonderful comments. I am delighted that you enjoyed seeing those angels - Martin is very talented and the angels look perfect in the little village church.x

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