I have a Good Camera

[Tengu]

(I forgot to take a picture to contextualise it, bah).

About a foot tall, high on the church tower at Stanton St Quintin.

 

[Nice65]

Like an imp. One of the Grey Men? It’s a Wiltshire church too, lot of that sort of thing about in Wilts.

Do you know anything more about it?

 

[Nice65]

Ah, she. She’s a Sheela-Na-Gig.

Sheela na gig - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There’s much argument to the meaning, some suggest she is the The Crone or the Hag, some suggest she represents spiritual rebirth, and the more extreme to the dangers of sinful women, which is unlikely IMO, 12th century churches with pagan connections are unlikely to hold that view.

Nice find.

 

[Pattree]

I understand that it placed evil and the old beliefs very deliberately outside the church.

 

[Tengu]

Yes.

And there are many theories; none with much backing proof.

Pattree, you are right, a protective demon, encouraged outside but not allowed in the church.

But...

Mere – The Sheela Na Gig Project

sheelanagig.org

This one is inside the church.

 

[Tengu]

Stanton St Quintin – The Sheela Na Gig Project

sheelanagig.org

This has a contextualising photo.