This afternoon we visited an ancient church in the village of Templecoombe in Somerset. The church is well known for a painting that adorns one of the walls. The history of this small town and the painting are fascinating. By the way, this not a small painting: it is approximately 6 feet wide, and the eyes seem to follow you as you walk from one side to the other.
In the first place, there is the connection of the town with the Knights Templar, thus the name Templecoombe, or the valley of the Templars. That the Knights Templar were here is not in doubt. Many properties in and around the town have identifiable Templar connections.
The painting was found in 1944 or 1945 quite by accident. One Mary Drew was in a shed on her property when the ceiling plaster fell down, revealing oak paneling with this face staring down at her. She called authorities from the local church to view this painting and they quickly took it into the church, where a well-meaning, but ignorant vicar tried to clean it with a cleaning compound, which removed the bright paint and left only a shadow of the head. The panel was displayed in the church, where it has been ever since, except for trips to be exhibited in various locations. Carbon dating of the oak panel reveals that it comes from the period from 1280 to 1440, which is, in part, the period of the Templars’ residence.
Much speculation has centered on the supposed worship of the Knights Templar of a special head of some sort, and parallels have been drawn with the image on the Shroud of Turin. You can judge for yourself what connections you can make. We are only reporting the existence of this remarkable work of art.
A painting in St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Templecoombe, Somerset
No comments:
Post a Comment