Old Bewick Church

The Church of Holy Trinity in Old Bewick in the county of Northumberland is an eleventh and twelfth century construction with only minimal Victorian meddling. It has those thin, narrow windows beloved by the Early English style, a rounded chancel arch plus another leading to an apse. This is a semi-circular room with a usually decorated ceiling. It is common feature of eastern and continental churches, as well as early English ones, but it fell out of fashion in these islands and they are now rather unusual.

The apse ceiling at Old Bewick is painted blue with a star pattern in gold. Although it looks a little naïve artistically, it is thoroughly charming, and the words Holy Holy Holy, Lord God of Hosts appear beneath it, a reference to Isaiah’s great vision in the sixth chapter of his prophecy. Despite its fairly dark interior, the worship here was offered to the great God of heaven, the Maker of the cosmos. Worshippers within could not see the stars but they could, though faith’s eyes, behold something of the majesty of heaven. We might look up when we sing, but we are not addressing the beams; we might close our eyes when we pray, but we are not inspecting our lids. Rather, we pray, praise and petition the great God of heaven who dwells beyond the stars.

Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Deuteronomy 10:14