Hereford, Herefordshire County, England
If facts are the seeds which later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which seeds must grow.
—Rachel Carson (1907–1964), marine biologist and ecological writer
Sheela Na Gig, viewed alternatively as a plumpish and sensual goddess or a thin and menacing hag, always exhibits an exaggerated vulva—a surprise for many people who do not expect such exhibitionist art on a church. However, Sheela Na Gig is associated with childbirth and is a medieval embellishment on many churches throughout England and Ireland. The Kilpeck Church (formerly the parish church of Saints Mary and David in Kilpeck), which sits in the English countryside bordering Wales, has some of the country’s most notable Romanesque adornment, dating from 1140, including a well-preserved carving of Sheela Na Gig among the corbels of the apse.
If you are interested in Celtic ideas of fertility, come to Kilpeck village to visit this Anglican church. It’s located about 8 miles southwest of Hereford in Herefordshire County.
Soak up the peace and quiet in this lovely little church in the most rural county in England, and then walk around outside. Open your creative mind to the fecundity that surrounds you: sketch images, jot notes, read about Celtic beliefs, and see what develops.
Many of the church’s Romanesque carvings feature sacred images of nature, including a tree of life carved on the south door tympanum.