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FREE E-BOOK: St Mary's Church, Nantwich: Masons' Marks, Spiritual Protection Marks and Consecration Crosses "OUT NOW"
My friend Michael and I, over the last two decades, have visited many historic churches, across the Marches. We love the mysterious and unusual things we find within these ancient structures, as well as the graves of those buried within, as well as without. Every church tells a story in stone (sometimes in wood), which may help us contemplate and refine our beliefs, and our place in this tapestry of life.
Sometimes we come across examples of ‘Memento Mori’, which means ‘Remember Death’. This is a medieval teaching, reminding the living that they should reflect upon mortality, and consider the vanity of the earthly abode, and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits, but importantly, to prepare for the Heavens above.
Often, we also find Masons’ Marks, both basic and elaborate, which connect us spiritually, with the builders of these ancient houses of God.
We also love finding Spiritual Protection Marks, which are often known as ‘Apotropaic’. This term means ‘to turn away or avert evil’. Our forebears believed that symbols and marks could protect them from evil and malevolent forces. These marks, symbols and devices, have become a new subject of research in the past two decades, and more and more is being understood about them, each time a new form is found, or a different interpretation is presented.
Some people have asked me in the past: why have Apotropaic symbols or devices in and around churches, when they are already holy?
I tell them, something like this: What better than to give the buildings even more and more power to fight against the dark forces. We see grotesques and gargoyles, all around churches, often known as ‘God’s Beasts’. As well as many grotesques, green men, etc, inside. And other forms of protection, like: crosses; candles; representations of angels, apostles, and saints; and even the Light itself, shining in through the windows. These, have all been created by the builders and crafts people, over time. However, the congregation themselves, have also incised or scratched their own marks or symbols, to ‘ward away evil’, or reclaim the church for the Roman Catholic faith, whilst it was outlawed. Some may believe this to be graffiti, but in the past this wasn’t looked down upon as much as today. We must remember that these spiritually charged marks are different than your usual type of church graffiti, i.e. someone’s name or initials, with a year, of which there are many examples at St Mary’s, especially to the tower above. We must also remember that previous rectors have even left their own mark, hiding somewhere in plain sight!
These spiritual protective marks, symbols, or devices, come in a variety of forms, and can be interpreted in varying ways, because some have more than one meaning, and use.
Another device which often adorns interior, and sometimes exterior, church walls, is the Consecration Cross. These are either: painted, carved, incised or scratched; and exist in a variety of different forms. These have been used as part of the rite of consecration, after the church building is complete, or when different parts have been rebuilt or partly or wholly replaced.
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Here, at St Mary’s Church in Nantwich, we find examples of all the above, which will be explained on the following pages.
My friend Michael and I, surveyed the interior walls of the church, from foot level to head height, with the aid of torches and a camera. Obviously where church furnishings, furniture or objects, hide the stonework, we could not inspect those places. Also, where marks exist above head height, it was not possible to record those, from a health and safety perspective.
We recorded each example we could find of the above marks, onto a plan of the church, which features on the next page, so you are able to find these curiosities yourself (use of a torch is advised).
I have also written up our survey and investigation, explaining their contexts, whilst also forming a record of them for future research, especially if higher levels of the walls may be inspected, safely, or hidden faces of the walls, are revealed.
My friend Michael and I, hope this booklet is of interest, and essentially that you enjoy it, because we love exploring churches and revealing unusual curiosities, especially because it is so contagiously rewarding to the enquiring mind!
Charles E. S. Fairey, February 2025
(Local Historian, Nantwich Museum Research Group Volunteer)
“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21 (KJV))
“And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.” (Kings 6:29 (KJV))
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