Preekgestoelte in St Saviour's Church in Dartmouth, Engeland 1856 - 1894

Francis Bedford captured this photograph of the carved pulpit in St. Saviour's Church in Dartmouth. The eye is immediately drawn to the intricate carvings, a dense tapestry of figures and foliage adorning the pulpit. These carvings are not merely decorative, they echo a symbolic language rooted in medieval Christian tradition. We can trace the lineage of such ornate pulpits back to the Roman rostra, platforms for oration, which were adorned with trophies of conquest. In the Christian context, this elevated platform becomes the locus of divine pronouncements. Note the recurring motifs of foliage; these evoke the Tree of Life, an ancient symbol present in cultures from Mesopotamia to Egypt. In Christianity, it morphs into the Cross, signifying sacrifice and redemption. This symbol, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, elicits a primal sense of hope and renewal. The carvings invite us to consider how symbols transcend time, resurfacing in different guises, always carrying a sediment of past meanings.