Bikes and... wait for it, wait for it, Churches!

[MattiThundrrr]

Ideologues and theocrats are dangerous people in power.

Let's not forget about the fig leaves
https://clocktower.ucollege.edu/articles/2018/the-great-fig-leaf-cover-up

 

[sjcprojects]

But in England the clash between the church and king (Henry led to much being smashed up, and Cromwell had most decorations (particularly depicting humans or cryprohumans) vandalised, redolent of the Bamiyan Buddhas.
Ideologues and theocrats are dangerous people in power.
(That's not politics, promise)

Yes, but the dissolution of the monasteries has left us with some very picturesque ruins .

 

[sjcprojects]

It occurred to me that I actually have a fairly remarkable church just down the road from me in Sheffield. In this case the word 'picturesque' does not really apply, in fact I imagine most people would think it's decidedly ugly. It's certainly different and the most brutalist church I think I've ever seen. It looks like the result of a thought experiment where the architect was wondering just how much they can make a church look like a giant concrete bunker. If so, I'd say they succeeded.





I couldn't quite get the whole front of the church into a photo because that would involve crossing a busy main road and leaving my bike on the other side, but I think you get the idea. It also reminds me of a Soviet monument (although with a cross on, of course – though interestingly apparently that wasn't even there when it was built in 1971, it was added later).

 

[bikeworkshop]

Garway Church, Herefordshire, with a defensible tower!

Built on a Knights Templar site, also featuring a holy well

 

[sjcprojects]

A church with a defensive tower? I've never seen anything like that. This thread is definitely unearthing a wide variety of ecclesiastical curios.

 

[bikeworkshop]

A church with a defensive tower? I've never seen anything like that. This thread is definitely unearthing a wide variety of ecclesiastical curios.

Further reading on Britain's finest Knights Templar Church:
http://www.greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/garway.html