Breaking With Tradition...

It has just started to snow again.  The bad news is that our Lake District Sojourn is looking more and more unlikely with each passing day.  The good news is that we are now in possession of a Christmas tree.  It's not quite what we expected - we always get a 6 foot pre-cut tree, but all the pre-cut trees were sold out, so we now have a three footer in a pot.

Having a tree which isn't going to die in the course of its duties is very odd.  The element of sacrifice, a nod to the pagan predeccessors of Christmas, has been removed from our mid winter celebrations.  We have instead taken possession of a new friend that I hope will be with us for a couple of years, at least.  It will require care.  It will require maintenance.  After that?  What on earth does one do with retired Christmas trees? Our garden is, unfortunately, too small to be turned long-term coniferous plantation...

The other good news is that I've at last figured out what's happening with the major plotline in my current WIP.  Since I've been facing stalemate on this front for a while, this is a big step forward.  My on-line writing course can be thanked for this, in which I'm participating as a guinea-pig (Squeak!). Last week's topic was on plotting, and although I've tied myself in knots trying to produce something which can be offered up as an example of my work , at least the fringe benefits have been enormous.

Looking on the bright side - if I'm stuck at home unable to go to the Lakes this week, I'll have plenty of time for the writing.

Anyway, without further ado, let's get back to the past.

Today, I've decided to feature one of Iona's very fine carved stone crosses.  This is St Martin's Cross, which stands just near the Abbey:-

 

These free-standing crosses were once a common feature throughout the west of Scotland during the medieval period, but it's only in the Isles that they've survived in any great numbers.  There are numerous references to crosses being cast down in towns like Kilwinning by marauding mobs during the Reformation.  Fragments of the Kilwinning Cross had been recovered, while other free-standing crosses, like the Barochan Cross which once stood near Houston, have remarkably survived intact.  In other places, like Dundee, only the cross-bases survive, their original function demonstrated by a socket where the cross once slotted into place.  It's a shame these objects became a target for destruction, because the carving is often quite stunning.  But then, they were symptomatic of Popish Idolatry, along with the statues of saints and the altar-pieces and the beaufiful late medieval polyphonic music written by the likes of the inimitable Robert Carver.
 
The carvings from Iona and the nearby islands have a distinctive character which demonstrates their affinity with Irish traditions.  This is quite appropriate, given their associations with the Lords of the Isles, a gaelic-speaking semi-autonomous group who were a thorn in the Scots Kings' sides for generations, until James IV finally crushed them.  Many of these crosses, though quite crude and early in appearance, are rather late in date, being produced until well into the 15th century. 

Islay is THE place for carved stone crosses, but unfortunately my visit to this wonderful island predated my digital camera so, alas, I have no digital pictures to share with you.  So you'll just have to make do with this example from Iona, which is itself exquisitely beautiful, and a nadir of the gaelic-Scots artistic tradition.
 

Breaking With Tradition...

It has just started to snow again.  The bad news is that our Lake District Sojourn is looking more and more unlikely with each passing day.  The good news is that we are now in possession of a Christmas tree.  It's not quite what we expected - we always get a 6 foot pre-cut tree, but all the pre-cut trees were sold out, so we now have a three footer in a pot.

Having a tree which isn't going to die in the course of its duties is very odd.  The element of sacrifice, a nod to the pagan predeccessors of Christmas, has been removed from our mid winter celebrations.  We have instead taken possession of a new friend that I hope will be with us for a couple of years, at least.  It will require care.  It will require maintenance.  After that?  What on earth does one do with retired Christmas trees? Our garden is, unfortunately, too small to be turned long-term coniferous plantation...

The other good news is that I've at last figured out what's happening with the major plotline in my current WIP.  Since I've been facing stalemate on this front for a while, this is a big step forward.  My on-line writing course can be thanked for this, in which I'm participating as a guinea-pig (Squeak!). Last week's topic was on plotting, and although I've tied myself in knots trying to produce something which can be offered up as an example of my work , at least the fringe benefits have been enormous.

Looking on the bright side - if I'm stuck at home unable to go to the Lakes this week, I'll have plenty of time for the writing.

Anyway, without further ado, let's get back to the past.

Today, I've decided to feature one of Iona's very fine carved stone crosses.  This is St Martin's Cross, which stands just near the Abbey:-

 

These free-standing crosses were once a common feature throughout the west of Scotland during the medieval period, but it's only in the Isles that they've survived in any great numbers.  There are numerous references to crosses being cast down in towns like Kilwinning by marauding mobs during the Reformation.  Fragments of the Kilwinning Cross had been recovered, while other free-standing crosses, like the Barochan Cross which once stood near Houston, have remarkably survived intact.  In other places, like Dundee, only the cross-bases survive, their original function demonstrated by a socket where the cross once slotted into place.  It's a shame these objects became a target for destruction, because the carving is often quite stunning.  But then, they were symptomatic of Popish Idolatry, along with the statues of saints and the altar-pieces and the beaufiful late medieval polyphonic music written by the likes of the inimitable Robert Carver.
 
The carvings from Iona and the nearby islands have a distinctive character which demonstrates their affinity with Irish traditions.  This is quite appropriate, given their associations with the Lords of the Isles, a gaelic-speaking semi-autonomous group who were a thorn in the Scots Kings' sides for generations, until James IV finally crushed them.  Many of these crosses, though quite crude and early in appearance, are rather late in date, being produced until well into the 15th century. 

Islay is THE place for carved stone crosses, but unfortunately my visit to this wonderful island predated my digital camera so, alas, I have no digital pictures to share with you.  So you'll just have to make do with this example from Iona, which is itself exquisitely beautiful, and a nadir of the gaelic-Scots artistic tradition.