A Slice of Neroche

In 2010 the Forestry Commission commissioned a tactile sculpture of a cross section of the underlying geology of the scarp slope of the Blackdown Hills. The sculpture, which is made of wood and is now looking a bit worn, is on display on the easy access trail at Staple Hill.  It was made by local sculptor Robert Jakes from an oak tree, which had been felled in Staple Park Wood.  He assembled it on site from 35 numbered pieces on 11th November 2010.

You can still clearly see the geological layers.  From the top going down these are soil and Pebblebeds,  Upper Greensand, spring line, Lower Lias clays, Blue Lias, Red Marl.  

It also shows the type of landscape above each of the layers.  From the top these are plateau, backscar, landslip, marshy grassland and forest.

A Slice of Neroche sculpture

A Slice of Neroche sculpture

Hunky Punks

Hunky punks are grotesque carvings found on the outside walls of buildings, usually churches.  They differ from gargoyles because they are purely decorative: gargoyles drain water off roofs through their mouths.  The purpose of hunky punks seems to have been to break up long straight sections of stone walls and to ornament corners.

Hunky punks are particularly numerous in Somerset.  The term hunky punk is thought to have originated from the words hunkers and punchy.  Hunkers means "squatting on haunches" and punchy means having "short legs and a thick set body". 

Most hunky punks were carved between 1450 and 1550, during the second half of the Perpendicular period.  Parapets, pinnacles and window tracery were also often decoratively carved at this time.  The church towers built in Somerset in this period were mainly funded by the wealth generated by the wool trade.  The carving of hunky punks would have taken place on the ground (probably in the carvers' workshops) and not in situ.  They were carved using chisels and mallets.  The hunky punks on a particular church may not all have been carved by the same stone mason.

The subjects carved were rarely Christian symbols.  They were often mythological or heraldic creatures and occasionally humans.  Dragons, goats, dogs and griffins are the most common subjects.  Life in medieval times was greatly influenced by the Christian church, but also by superstition and folklore.  This may explain why so many hunky punks depict mythological and heraldic creatures.

My thanks to Nigel Stone for allowing me to use some of his photographs.

All Saints' Church, Langport

Lion, All Saints' Church, Langport

Three faces, All Saints' Church, Langport

Lion, Church of St Peter & St Paul, Kilmersdon

The north aisle of the St Peter & St Paul's Church was added in the 15th century and almost certainly paid for by William, Lord Botreaux. The hunky punks are thought to have been carved at the same time.

Antelope, Church of St Peter & St Paul, Kilmersdon

Toad and monk (or angel?) 

Church of St Peter & St Paul, Kilmersdon

Holy Trinity Church, Chantry

This church was built 1844-1846, so the hunky punks on it are not medieval.

Holy Trinity Church, Chantry

Toothache, All Saints Church, Monksilver

Dragon, Monksilver

Cat, St Mary's Church, Kingston St Mary

Woman giving birth, St Mary's Church, Kingston St Mary

Griffin/dragon, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Norton-sub-Hamdon

Devil, Church of St Peter & St Paul, North Curry

Dog, All Saints Church, Curry Mallet

Goat, All Saints Church, Curry Mallet

Bagpipe player, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Isle Abbotts

Lion, St Laurence's Church, East Harptree

St Laurence's Church has 7 hunky punks on the parapet of the north aisle: 4 lions, 2 dogs with semi-human heads and a bird-like creature with a comb.

Lion, St Laurence's Church, East Harptree

Further reading: 

Hunky Punks: A Study in Somerset Stone Carving by Peter Poyntz-Wright, first published 1982, revised edition 2004, Heart of Albion Press

Hedgehogs and Squirrels

Artistic representations of hedgehogs and squirrels aren't very common in Somerset.  Here are the ones I have come across painted on glass or walls, carved in wood, set in concrete and stitched onto church kneelers

Hedgehog, west door, Norton-sub-Hamdon Church

Mural, Priorswood, Taunton

Hedgehog, Church of St John the Baptist, Axbridge

Hedgehog on a carved seat in the churchyard of St Bartholomew's Church in Oake

Stained glass window, Churchstanton Church

Red squirrel on a kneeler in the Church of St Peter & St Paul, North Curry

Red squirrel set into the pavement outside the former Squirrel pub, High Street, Wellington

Squirrel chainsaw carving, Croydon Hill

Grey squirrel, Lamyatt bus shelter

Faded squirrel, Spray Point, Watchet

Victoria Park, Frome

This animal themed bench, which features three squirrels, was made from a 140 year old Norway maple, which had to be felled in 2025, as it was diseased.  The bench was made by Graham Derham.

Church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke

The church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke has an eclectic collection of features from different historical periods.  It serves the village of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, but is located a mile east of the village in the hamlet of East Stoke.  The church was built using local Ham stone in the 12th century and enlarged in the 13th and 14th centuries.  It was restored by Benjamin Ferrey in 1862.   The church was previously dedicated to St Denys (c1840-59) and St Andrew (1866-c1891).

The carved tympanum above the porch door on the north side of the church has three birds (possibly doves) around the Tree of Life, the Lamb of God and the astrological figures of Sagittarius and Leo.  The tympanum was walled up when the porch was added.  It was rediscovered in 1856. The main doors were probably replaced in the mid 19th century and are reputed to have come from Ilchester Gaol when it closed.

The octagonal panelled pulpit and the altar are Jacobean.  There is an hourglass timer near the pulpit. The altar rails date from the reign of Charles I.

The 12th century circular tub font is decorated with raised cable and diamond designs. It was originally located in the centre of the nave, but it was moved in 1916 to its current location.

The wall paintings on the wall above the chancel arch date from the 14th or 15th centuries.  The ones on the nave walls are 17th century.

A 12th century window has a carving of St George or St Michael the Archangel slaying a dragon above it. 

The four light east window was designed by someone called Bell as a war memorial.  It depicts local occupations: glove making, agriculture, Ham stone industry and work in the home.  It contains some medieval glass in the small panels at the top. The symbols at the bottom are of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and the Merchant Navy.

Two possible sheela-na-gigs are located on the Norman corbel table on the north wall of the chancel.

There are 4 scratch dials on the south wall.

St Mary's Church

Porch with tympanum above

Tympanum

Nave and Norman chancel arch

Scratch dial

Scratch dial

Scratch dial

Norman window

St George and the Dragon carving

Pulpit

Hour glass timer near the pulpit

Norman Font

Wall paintings in the nave

Angel 

Squint or hagioscope in the north transept

Carved corbel

Two possible sheela-na-gigs

These are located on a corbel table on the north wall of the chancel.

War memorial stained glass window