Sheela-Na-Gigs

This church has some Romanesque carving around the chancel arch but little else apart from the Devil's Stone - as it is called in the rather poor church literature. It is sited in the south wall next to the chancel arch but did not originate there. Until quite recently it was incorporated in the north wall of the chancel on the outside, even this odd location was not its original site, and here it sat being damaged by the weather until it was rescued and put in its current position. Unfortunately the weather has eroded it so much that it is nearly impossible to see the carving unless it is lit from the side. It appears to show a figure with a prominent vagina, holding a round object like a coin or a bowl. Alongside is a T-shaped carving thought to be a Tau cross but may have been added much later. The aforementioned literature says it is undoubtedly of Romano-British origin, but gives no proof or suggestion of how they arrived at this conclusion. Some writers have suggested she is holding a head, it having been cut off by the T-shaped axe, and make much of the symbolism of her holding open her vagina and returning the head from whence it came. There was a well nearby and connections have been suggested between the figure and the well, stories of five coins being found nearby have also lead to speculation that she is holding a coin. It is generally considered to be a sheela-na-gig.