Dedication 1315 - St Mary - Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

A painting commemorating the dedication of St Mary's church, Frampton on Severn, in 1315 by Bishop Maidstone.

"Bishop Maidstone made five journeys within his diocese during 1315, dedicating the churches and altars in more than forty parishes throughout Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

Many of the churches he visited have been greatly altered or rebuilt since that time, whilst some remain relatively untouched. Dedication 1315 is about recognising the individual and collective heritage of these buildings and the communities they have served for more than 700 years."

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A note below the painting explains:

The Dedication 1315 depicting Bishop Walter Maidstone of Worcester on his visitations of Frampton on Severn, Harescombe, Fretherne and Whaddon churches.

Painted by Alison Merry to mark the 700th anniversary of the dedications of the churches and consecration of their altars.

Frampton, Fretherne, Harescombe & Whaddon
The main body of the painting is divided into three sections, each representing an episode in Bishop Maidstone's 1315 visit to our group of churches.

Lower left shows the bishop riding into Whaddon where, on 4th July, he dedicated the church and consecrated the main altar. Lower right shows him at Frampton on 10th July where, this time pictured inside the church, he both dedicated the church and consecrated the main altar.

The upper half of the painting shows the Bishop with his entourage at Hareswmbe on 5th July. There is no record of an altar being consecrated here but the church was dedicated, and from contemporary sources found in beautifully illuminated books called pontificals, we know the details of the liturgy that the bishop would have followed. He is pictured here at the very beginning of the ceremony, striking the church door with his crozier, whilst from inside the deacon asks, 'Who is the King of Glory?' to which Bishop Maidstone answers, 'The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.' (Psalm 24)

Along the base we see the River Severn which flows across the painting just as it flows alongside the seven churches visited in that summer of 1315. The little fishing boat moored up on some narrow stretch of Severn beach is taken from a lovely stained glass window in the chancel of Fretherne church.

Of the four churches in our group Haresconthe remains as like the building that Bishop Maidstone would have recognised as Fretherne is unlike. The whole church as we see it today remains almost entirely unaltered with its nave, chancel and bellcote all dating to the thirteenth century and therefore just before Bishop Maidstone's time.

Of the four Gloucestershire churches that have come together to initiate Dedication 1315, Fretherne church offers the least by way of original medieval features. For that reason it has been given the honour of providing the decorative border for this main narrative painting of the event. It is a wonderful building rich in ornament which was, in its own time, an early nineteenth century homage to the imagination of the medieval architect and stone mason and stands today as one of the countyis fine examples of the Gothic Revival genre. The earlier church on this site had been dedicated by Bishop Maidstone on 9th July 1315.

Type of Historic Marker: Painting Age/Event Date: 07/09/2015 Related Website: [Web Link] Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed

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