St George's Day: Historic Castle Mural of St George

Today being St George’s Day, here is a very early mural of St Geroge that is on the chapel wall at Farleigh Hungerford Castle, in Somerset.

The site is owned by English Heritage, and the website states:

“The chapel of St Leonard stands in the outer court. It was built as the parish church by Sir Thomas Hungerford between about 1370 and 1383. The small north chapel…was added in about 1400 to house his tomb. It became the castle chapel in the 1440s… The east end of the main chapel displays the remains of earlier wall-paintings, including a nearly life-sized depiction of St George, probably commissioned in the 1440s by Walter, 1st Lord Hungerford.”

Although St George is a Christian saint – the patron saint of England – I like to view his dragon-slaying legend as symbolising facing one’s fears, championing a cause – whatever that cause may be – and triumph in adversity.

Farleigh Hungerford Castle is worth visiting if you are in Somerset because it is a fascinating place quite apart from the chapel wall painting. However, I understand photography is no longer allowed in the chapel itself in order to protect the works of art. (I took those photographs a long while ago.)

If you are in London today and have some time to spare, you could pop along to the St George in Southwark Festival 2015 at St George the Martyr Church, Borough High Street, London SE1 1JA. This free event offers traditional celebrations of St George’s Day and is suitable for adults and accompanied children. Activities include quests, performances and storytelling. It starts at 10.45am with a quest led by John Constable, author of The Southwark Mysteries.For more details, visit: http://www.stgeorgefestival.org.uk/

Links and previous related posts:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/farleigh-hungerford-castle
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/04/st-george-man-and-myths.html
The Southwark Mysteries (Oberon Book)
http://www.stgeorgefestival.org.uk/

To read more posts like this visit A Bad Witch’s Blog at www.badwitch.co.uk