7 Mar 2014

St Mary’s Church, Cratfield – the Woodwose

by | posted in: Home, St Mary's Church | 2

The Woodwose above the West Door of the Church.

The Green Man on the West Door of the Church
The Woodwose on the West Door of the Church
The West Door of St Mary's Church, Cratfield
The West Door of St Mary’s Church, Cratfield

The Wild Man, or Wildman of the Woods, or Woodwose (the oldest form of the term) is a figure over the West Door of the Church in Cratfield. He has a club and shield and seems to be covered in hair, or perhaps leaves? But why is a mythical figure on a church door? One explanation is that the Woodwose is symbolic of the soul, overcoming the trials of the body.

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2 Responses

  1. Mark
    | Reply

    More interesting is the Dragon opposite. Is this a symbol of Satan as in Revelation?

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