For those, like me, who've exceeded that age range, and live a basically sedentry life, I recommend a bit of practice. The other day I walked home from Oxford along the Oxford canal: from the old canal basin (now, alas, the Worcester Street car park, but the canal is still there a few yards away),
to Shipton on Cherwell, where this Medieval 'preaching cross' is preserved, and then accross country to Woodstock. More photos.
What is the meaning of a "preaching cross"?
ReplyDeleteBefore churches were built in country places, the people would gather
ReplyDeleteat these crosses where a priest would have a bit of a platform and
preach.
Not just where there wasn't a church, in fact, there was a famous
preaching cross outside St Paul's in London.
They also had 'weeping crosses', where people would do some kind of
penance, I'm not sure how that worked. I've never seen one preserved
as such, but preaching crosses can be seen in a number of places.