St Blaise - St Mary's church - Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 51° 45.636 W 002° 22.383
30U E 543269 N 5734598
Processional giant of St Blaise, the patron saint of woolcombers, whose image had been much venerated in Frampton church before the Reformation.
Such processions of 'giants' were common in medieval England on Saints' days.
Waymark Code: WMY42F
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/16/2018
Views: 0
"The churches of Frampton on Severn, Fretherne, Harescombe and Whaddon have chosen St Blaise as their giant because his image in Frampton’s church was said to have been much venerated. Blaise was the patron saint of woolcombers and the many sheep kept in this area were an important part of the local cloth-making industry. His feast day falls on 3 February and was still celebrated with the annual ‘Frying Pan Fair’ in Frampton for at least two centuries after the Reformation caused his image to be lost.
St Blaise was born in Armenia during the third century. He was a physician and the bishop of Sebastea in historical Armenia. People came from many areas to be cured of bodily and spiritual ills and it was said that animals also came to him to be healed. As bishop he instructed his people as much by example as through his preaching.
In 316, persecution by order of the emperor began and St Blaise was seized. He was martyred by being beaten, attacked with woolcombs and beheaded.
St Blaise became one of the most popular saints of the fourteenth century.
We hope that our giant St Blaise will become a regular visitor to ‘Frampton Feast’ now held each August in Frampton on Severn."
SOURCE - (
visit link)
There is currently a small, yet significant , revival of medieval - style processions in England.
"The giant is tall and not carried, but danced during the procession . The most famous surviving giant in England is Christopher in Salisbury (
visit link) (
visit link) . He is about 500 years old and has taken part in both religious and secular processions.
The survival of this giant is unique; such figures were condemned as idolatrous at the time of the Reformation. Christopher has taken part in the Giant and Sarum Morris Dance."
SOURCE - (
visit link)