St James' Church, Avebury

The church of St James at Avebury, Wiltshire, is one of those ancient places of worship with features old and mysterious. Its font, for example. Research has shown that it is Saxon in origin (pre-1050) which the Normans (1100s) over-cut with their own carvings. There are the inevitable defacings of the Reformation period, but the overall artwork may still be observed and enjoyed. One source claims that flakes of coloured paint have been detected, so it was likely colourful and bright in its heyday, rather than the rather dull monochrome of today.

A figure is depicted holding a shepherd’s crook or bishop’s crozier, the former inspiring the latter. The faceless figure appears to be surrounded by writhing serpents whose heads appear to attack his feet.

Scriptural knowledge was not widespread in Saxon and Norman England, so the information sheets suggesting it is the archangel Michael or some revered prelate may well have been the mason’s intention. Assuming that some rudimentary Biblical knowledge was held in that period, however, then the the figure must be Christ Himself.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, hence the staff, and it is He about whom it was prophesied to Eden’s serpent:

“And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her Seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen 3:15, NKJV)

Though Christ was struck and bruised at Calvary, He delivered the deathblow to Satan and his Great Rebellion. I think that the anonymous Norman stone carver understood this.

Come, Desire of Nations, come,
Fix in us thy heav'nly Home;
Rise the Woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's Head.

Adam's Likeness now efface,
Stamp thy Image in its Place;
Second Adam from above,
Work it in us by thy Love

-George Whitefield's 1758 adaption of Charles Wesley's 1739 Hymn for Christmas Day, otherwise known as Hark the Herald