Green Man

Green Men are faces sprouting foliage that are found in churches, abbeys and cathedrals. They were popular figures adorning church architecture and furnishings in the Middle Ages, and enjoyed a second wave of popularity in the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival. Once thought to be of pagan origin, Green Men were in fact part of the new repertoire of architectural ornament that appeared in Norman churches in the twelfth century, the earliest examples of which were copied from manuscript illustrations. Few of these Green Men are actually men: most are masks, demons, or animals, sometimes explicitly associated with the devil. Richard Hayman discusses the origins and definitions of these fascinating and often grotesque carvings, and traces their history in medieval and later churches. He also includes a list of places across Britain where examples of green men can be found, which helps to make this a perfect introduction and guide to these intriguing decorations
Green men are figures or heads that were carved in churches, abbeys and cathedrals from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Inspired by the illustrations in book margins where heads were used to terminate trails of foliage, they were usually carved in the form of human masks, cats' or demons' heads. The earliest architectural green men are found in the churches of the wealthy and influential, such as Henry I's private chapel in Derbyshire but they were still produced in lesser numbers into the nineteenth century. Richard Hayman discusses the origins and definitions of these fascinating figures and traces their many declines and revivals throughout history - a valuable guide for any church history enthusiast.