You may have a vague recollection that I promised I would one day return with the faces of Wells’ 13th century Chapter House. Well after four years here they are! Admittedly not all of them, in fact fewer than I recall photographing. However I think these few will make you smile.

Did you note my photographs above are all squares? Fitting I thought on the eve of Square Perspectives to share a range of faces each with their own perspective (check out the titles by clicking on gallery!). And as this is a prequel I can share the final face un-squared!

The Chapter House, by the way, is where the cathedral administration was undertaken by the canons and/or prebandaries. Prebanderies were so called because they received a ‘preband’, which was a form of reward in return for services rendered. When King Henry VIII dissolved the Collegiate Churches and Chantries, and took the associated incomes most prebands disappeared. Consequently the term prebandery has also disappeared from use, although Wells is one of the two places in the country that apparently still calls their canons prebanderies. I wonder if they still meet in their octagonal Chapter House?

54 thoughts

  1. Wow, what a set of characterful faces, Becky. Oh, and I always understood the spelling as prebend , so interesting to see the variation.

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  3. I wonder if these heads were all modelled on real people. They’re an interesting group of characters. I have the first two square posts ready to go and will be working on another couple today. Trying to get ahead a bit. 🙂

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  4. I wonder WHO  are thinking?  I wonder what the  sculptor was thinking as he worked. What  expression did he want to create on his work?

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  9. Quite the collection of grimaces and expressions. Yes, surely captures the way many of us are feeling right now, especially in the United States. I have a collection of square photographs for tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s work.

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  13. Bottom row middle captures my mood perfectly at the moment, a fixed grin in the face of the unexpected and inexplicable (off to visit mum 😉). Funnily enough, I have lots of square faces prepared for you, possibly next week some time. I have other stuff scheduled till Monday.

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    1. Enjoy your visit 🙂 you must be so happy that easing is finally happening.

      and how exciting about square faces next week. Can’t wait!

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  15. Hang on a minute! It’s hard enough getting enough posts together for July without giving yourself extra homework! And we have prebendaries (note the different spelling) here in Ripon, as well as Thorpe Prebend House where I am (was) often to be found at a meeting. Maybe I’ll have to pop into the Cathedral, now it’s nearly open again, to give you a perspective from there.

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      6. A bridge I trekked many a time. It is one of the prettier Durham bridges, and gave direct access from women’s colleges on the hill to men’s colleges in the centre 😉

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    2. I always have a heap of square rejects every quarter so prequels are a great way to use some of them up!!

      fascinating Ripon still uses the term (albeit with a different spelling) I wonder if you are the other place in the country?

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