St James Church – Medieval graffiti
If you go into any medieval church, most of what you see tells you about the more well-off members of the parish, whether it is stained glass, tombs, or monumental brasses. Graffiti, on the other hand, can be made by all members of society, from the masons who built the church and the people who worked the parish land, to the more elevated members of the community. Graffiti can be found anywhere within the body of the church, but there are certain ‘hot spots’ where it is more likely to be concentrated, such as doorways, particularly the south door, tower stairs and arches, chancel arches and fonts. It is most often at eye level or below.
In St James, graffiti is concentrated around the porch and south door, in the bell tower and the chancel. In addition, there is also some graffiti on the walls outside, including a magnificent mass dial. Mass Dials are medieval sundials found on the south walls of churches near to the main door and about 4 – 5 feet off the ground. The one here at Badsey is 1120mm in diameter and is one of the largest discovered so far in England.
