Location: https://w3w.co/guarding.anthems.sunflower

In the small village of Great Canning, accessible from the B184, you can find the Grade I listed Church of St Mary’s. It bears all the hallmarks of a Norman church but if you look carefully there are a number of fascinating secrets.

The church was built around 1150 CE and may have replaced an earlier wooden building in the same location. It was added to in the 15th century when a belfry, spire and south porch were added. It is likely the church for Alberic de Ver’s manor who is listed as the owner in the Domesday Book. This would mean it is also related to the Norman motte and bailey that can be found just behind it and which sits in the bend of the River Roding.

The church contains a number of treasures including a very rare one of the Virgin Mary and Child from the early 1200s, which was painted over in the Reformation but not destroyed. This means that access to the interior of the church is very restricted.

However if you can gain access the most visible of the surprises can be found on the pillars at the south doorway. They are richly carved with two faces at the top. These faces are very likely Odin as on the left hand pillar his face has two ravens making up part of his face. These are likely Hugin and Munin who are his messengers and spies. Around the faces are also what are called fylfots but would be better recognised today as Swastikas; a symbol common in pre-Christian cultures across Europe.

More surprisingly, close to the entrance near the Norman archway to the chancel if you know where to look you will find an 11th century Viking burial stone embedded in the fabric of the building. Because of its height and position it can only really be seen with the aid of a mirror on a log rod that allows you to look down on it. It is likely that the gravestone is that of a Viking warrior that was killed in the area and then recycled into the fabric of the church in the same way that Roman bricks can be found in the outside wall.

The village of Great Canning is tiny and seems like a picture postcard example of the English village, however the church and Motte and Bailey are well worth a visit.

Links

• Church Website –https://www.greatcanfield.org.uk/st-marys.html
• The Northern Vicars page – https://www.northernvicar.co.uk/2014/02/01/great-canfield-st-mary/
• Another church website – https://www.regc.org.uk/great-canfield-church-history