Fairford’s Demons

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What beings
inhabit the lofty
spaces of St. Mary’s
Church in Fairford,
Gloucestershire
???

I thought it
would be a fun
diversion to show
the stained glass novelty
of this church, although
I don’t consider them
to be examples of
“biblical art”
.

Was the artist
enjoying his
freedom
here
???

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There aren’t
many places to
see artwork like this,
but all 28 stained glass
windows survived the
Second World War,
in addition to the
24 little demons
shown above
.

As you look
around the space,
you see more and more
of these imaginative creatures,
engaged in what look to me
like unpleasant activities,
to say the least
.

Here’s
a full window ,
then we’ll zoom
in for a closer
look
…

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Zooming In
:

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Head Shot!
Creature gobbling
humans
?

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As I was editing
these close-up photos,
I couldn’t help wondering
about the purpose of
these images
.

Some people believed that
Gargoyles and Grotesques
could ward off evil spirits,
but that’s not what’s
going on here
.

These were
created to
influence
people
.

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I wanted to show
these stained glass
windows for fun
.

Something
out of the
ordinary
…

but
I can’t stop
thinking about
the congregants
of this church
.

What
did THEY think
about them
?

When you view them,
do you feel illuminated
by the spirit of light
and love
???

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If you can
imagine attending
services here on a regular
basis, how would you feel
about the children gazing
through these windows
;
one holding
a human head
by the hair
,
another
plunging a
sword through
a baby
,
another
displaying
the head of a
religious leader
on a pike
?