Bird's Beak and Corbel

The Norman Period

The present building incorporates work of every century from the twelfth to the twentieth, proof of continual existence of Christian worship on the site. 

As you enter the churchyard by climbing the semi-circular stone steps and pass under a wrought iron arch and lamp notice the series of windows beneath the battlemented parapet of the aisle to your right.   These are of positively Romanesque character, and some are strongly reminiscent of the characteristic Norman bird's beak features in many corbel table of that period. 

Since the present south aisle of the Church was built late in the fifteenth century, it would be reasonable to assume that these carved heads, which now serve as stops to the hood-moulds once supported a corbel table in the original Norman church building, and have been re-used here. 

Entering the south porch notice two badly weathered carved heads, one each side of the outer door; they come from the same set of Romanesque carvings.  

Other surviving features can be seen if you move to a point just in front of the screen below the tower arch.   On the south side you will see a sturdy Norman column and scalloped capital embedded in the end of the south wall of the nave.  One certain fact is that the column and capital are good quality work of about 1100 A.D. and appear to be in situation.   Windows of the Norman date were crowned with single-centred or semi-circular arches.

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www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/memburystjohnbaptist