St Nicholas, Haddon Hall

The Chapel of St Nicholas, located within Haddon Hall in Derbyshire, is the church for Nether Haddon, the centre of one of England’s tiniest parishes. Perhaps because it was sheltered inside an aristocratic castle, its fifteenth-century construction has been well preserved. The medieval wall paintings, though obediently whitewashed at the time of Reformation, were uncovered in the nineteenth-century, allowing modern eyes to gaze upon images long lost. Late medieval churches were colourful, decorated affairs, offering pious distraction for the ignorant peasant who could not follow the mysterious Latin mummery of the priest as he performed his Mass.

Theologically, I prefer plain churches, without distraction from the preaching of the Bible. Historically, St Nicholas’ Chapel is fascinating. Aesthetically, the paintings are interesting, but very dated. Few would paint in this manner today; the figures are rather two-dimensional and the facial expressions consistently blank. One might argue that all art, even world-famous pieces like Mona Lisa are only inferior reproductions of that which they depict.

I was having a conversation about heaven the other day. Although scripture gives us hints about its nature and scope, we can only imagine its wonder. And whatever our imagination is able to conjure, we can be certain that the unseen reality is much greater. Well might the apostle write:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

The prospect of viewing a medieval chapel for the first time offers me a thrill, but it is nothing to what even the lowliest doorkeeper of heaven shall enjoy forever.