The Bosses

A special feature of the ceiling is the number of carved bosses at each of the intersections of the ribs. Until the cleaning and repainting in 1979 the bosses were virtually indistinguishable but they have now been restored to their former glory. Lady Veronica Stonborough herself was responsible for painting many of them.

The boss below shows the Passion of Christ: the Crown of Thorns, the pierced Heart and the nails in His Hands and Feet. There is a suggestion that this boss might be of Saxon origin as it is certainly older than the others in the church. The boss next to it on the ceiling and also shown below represents the Victory of Christ where the thorn is shown in full bloom.

Below is another interesting boss. It shows three hares and although there are only three ears, each hare appears to have a pair of ears. Research has traced this symbol across Europe to the earliest known examples in China. For more information please see: http://www.chrischapmanphotography.co.uk/hares/