Creatures and Corpses - A Visit to Denston, Suffolk

In this video, come on a visit with me to Denston Church in Suffolk. This magnificent building was constructed in the fifteenth century and contains many wonderful things, including a cadaver tomb and many carvings of animals and creatures.
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[@BennyM_]

This church is an absolute treasure. Thank you for highlighting it.

[@okiejammer2736]

Allan, you are a poet. You make it easy for us to linger alongside you, enjoying the ancient energies and distant music just .. there. Ahh. Bliss. Thank you.

[@buttercatpaws9674]

Nothing less than glorious, reflecting the artistry and passion of God's inspiration and spirit. Love and blessings from Memphis Tennessee USA 🐈🐾

[@PaulFellows3430]

What a lovely church. That village is truly blessed to have such a fine building in its midst.

[@annettewillis2797]

Denston is a light filled jewel. Imagine if the rood screen and original altar were still in place! Lovely examples of medieval mastery abound. I agree Allan, you can hear the swish of vestments and the whisper of sanctus, sanctus, sanctus. Thanks very much for taking us with you on this tour. It truly lifts the spirit.

[@MegaDonzee]

Thank-you, I enjoyed watching this! My ancestors left Suffolk for the New World in 1634, this gives me a lovely glimpse into the past.

[@rhiannonpoole6019]

Thank you for another wonderful church video and your reverent commentary. That drone has added a wonderful extra dimension to your work, being able to see those roof carvings close up was excellent.

[@bridgetkeyes6170]

We were thinking a crane had been bought😂 Another interesting and insightful tour...

[@janepage3608]

Beautiful - decorated elegance. And what a lovely piece of quiet countryside.

[@DragonsAndDragons777]

This is one of my favourite history channels now

[@aaron6178]

It's Allan's narration. It's like a pillow of fireplace wisdom. Plus the Middle Ages is just spectacular stuff!

[@NinaHansen2008]

Thank you, Dr. Barton.

[@hughjohnston]

I'm enthralled by your architectural wonders of England ! I'm not a religious person and have little knowledge of religious culture and doctrine, but these buildings are truly priceless treasures and your expertise in them is "captivating" ! I had no Idea of that so many 11th 12th and 13th century buildings still exist along with testament of our history of tyrannical kings , aristocrats and upheavals . WOW !

[@allanbarton]

I’m glad you’re enjoying these videos ☺️

[@ChrisHunt4497]

I love the carvings on the roof and the benches. What a lovely church, thank you. 🙏

[@JOtwell07]

"A glass oil lamp" is such a marvelous metaphor for the architecture, altar, prayers, and such. How apt. Thank you for the well-shot video and the well-written and spoken narration.

[@CrowSkeleton]

Thank you for letting us see those roof carvings! Gosh they must have been fancy, painted up nice.

[@richardsweeney197]

Thanks for showing us!

[@julieblackstock8650]

Had to put this one on my To Visit list which is growing ever longer

[@kevinchambers1101]

Another glorious presentation of another glorious church.

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@t6h1y1]

Thank you.

[@okiejammer2736]

Ohhhh... simply glorious! ⚘

[@Kevin-jb8do]

It is indeed glorious! Thank you for this beautifully filmed glimpse in to Denston.

[@Marian-pb7fd]

I am enjoying the drone footage of the inner roofs in these churches. Not all the history is lost as supposed. Thank you as always for all the hard work you put into these videos I believe like me many really enjoy them.

[@orlando1a1]

What a gorgeous church interior - the design of the fantastic arcade, alone, is blessed with an elegance that is a wonderful contrast to the extraordinary wooden tie-beam roof. Considering this is in East Anglia, a region that suffered heavily from iconoclasm, this beautiful and atmospheric church stands a remarkable survival. Allan captures the essence of this beautiful building so well.

[@davidmajer3652]

Thanks for the interpretation of this visually stunning space. It would be interesting to know how John Denston would react to knowing that centuries later people from around the world be viewing his grave via the internet. It would certainly blow his mind, but he would probably be very pleased.

[@larrywave]

I find Funerary hatchments and related stuff fascinating Here in Finland we have few funeral shields still in churches

[@jongoldman9279]

Of course, in the states, we simply don't have ancient churches. In a rural town in South Carolina, where my parents are buried, their church had woodwork and ceilings built by Scottish artisans in the late 19th/early 20th century. The smell of that old wood, and the feeling of history it gave me, was intoxicating. I can only imagine the feeling of medieval history one gets surrounded by the smells of 550 year old wood and stone.

[@aaron6178]

Love your stuff. You always end with a delightful 'thanks for watching', so I'll give you an equally earnest 'thanks for making'. Honestly, it's just delightful to listen to you, though you have an innate advantage in that history is intrinsically rad!! Cheers!

[@dianespears6057]

Lovely. Thank you so much.

[@robinbradach928]

Thanks!

[@chrisfinlay3274]

Outstanding church, outstanding video, thanks.

[@susandelongis885]

The extraordinary wood carving is so absorbing. A truly beautiful example of beliefs and architecture meeting. Thank you! ❤️🇺🇸❤️🇬🇧❤️

[@Bard_Land]

Fascinating tour, and excellent camera work.

[@tfSmudge]

Excellent video sir. I can relate to your quiet moment taking in the ancient ambience as I recently had similar experiences when visiting the Suffolk coast at St Edmunds, Southwold. A similar window-filled bright church, a Suffolk trait? It has amongst other things a stunning painted rood screen worthy (IMHO) of a video or three! Or else just a visit. Thanks for this and love the drone footage. Terry

[@jontalbot1]

About three quarters of Suffolk churches are essentially perpendicular. This reflects the wealth of the county in the later Middle Ages when that was the fashionable style. Perpendicular is essentially an English thing as we carried on building in gothic when the rest of Europe went for classicism. It was the point where masons had solved the problem of supporting the weight of the roof with more elegant structures. The high point is Kings College chapel in Cambridge. Huge windows and fan vaulting.

[@pixbychris3182]

Beautiful just beautiful

[@jilltagmorris]

Excellent as always . Thank you again for such quality content ❤😊

[@deniseatkins9407]

Stunning

[@jontalbot1]

This is terrific work. Great relaxed informative content, a clear narrative perfectly aligned with the visuals. One of the best KZbin channels in any context l have seen. A pure labour of love.

[@MyGreatAuntFanny]

The Bonnacon is one of the creatures of the medieval bestiary that makes me wonder what its origins were. Its most memorable attribute is its ability to forcibly project feaces upon its pursuers that cause burns, and is usually depicted as having flames flowing from its nether regions. In all other aspects it's quite unremarkable. Incidentally, I am enjoying the use of the drone in these films. It's lovely to see how buildings sit in the landscape and to be able to get up close and personal with the roof structures.

[@lianefehrle9921]

When I do go back to Europe I go to these churches and look at how they are built. I was born in Germany and I have gone back home every few years. I only have seen German churches so looking on your pictures and listening to your videos is a great way to learn about the church history of where you are at.

[@jontalbot1]

There are many medieval churches. I suggest you pick a county rich in them, like Suffolk, Norfolk and Gloucestershire ( there are many others ) and buy a Pevsner guide to the buildings of the county. The old secondhand ones are perfectly adequate and cheap to buy. Then plan your trip. Doing it by bicycle is best in my view

[@lorihenderson673]

As an atheist i agree it is glorious 🎉

[@marthavanbeek-putters]

So beautiful👍👍👍👍Martha

[@philiplettley]

How many chantry chapels are still used. Worcester cathedral always celebtate 8am eucharist in Prince Arthur's chantry on the anniversary of his death

[@jontalbot1]

None for the purpose intended, as mentioned in the video. Medieval people took the phrase ‘ it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than a camel to pass through the eye of a needle’ very seriously so believed they were destined for God’s waiting room- purgatory. They therefore arranged for masses to be conducted after their death in perpetuity so that they could eventually enter heaven. Much of the mass would be literally chanting- hence ‘chantry’

[@knutanderswik7562]

Wonderful video! I am very glad you identified the manticore for me; it is a dead ringer for our own Jake the Alligator Man, star of Marsh's Free Museum on the Washington coast.

[@n990]

Absolutely wonderful presentation, you’ve made tremendous strides in your video work and editing! I want to go there!

[@MelG-ut3hs]

Fantastic. Thank you.

[@stepps511]

What a beautiful church building. Thank you, Allan, for bringing this to us and to our attention. The drone footage of the exterior, and of the interior, is wonderful. Once again I am reminded that the English Reformation was not kind to these medieval structures. Oh, to imagine this church in its "day"! You are a gift, Sir.

[@charityrochford2175]

Stunning! Thank you for sharing. Someday we hope to make it out to the UK and look forward to seeing some of these beautiful churches you’ve toured ❤

[@rondifrankel]

What a lovely church! I'm very happy to see it, as some of my ancestors lived in Denston and Wickhambrook before emigrating to America in the 17th century. They might even have been some of the people who defaced the images on the font! Great video, as always.

[@user-cy1ri4wj4b]

This was particularly glorious-many thanks!

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

It must have amazing acoustics. Wonderful old church!

[@jldrake3424]

❤

[@JangianTV]

Magnifiqué as always - thanks Allan!

[@charityrochford2175]

Your videos would be perfect audio-tours when visiting these churches!

[@carolescutt2257]

Dr Barton, excellent as we've come to expect from such a thoroughly knowledgeable and infectiously enthusiastic academic. Thank you so much for your wonderful channel , its a peek into so much of the UK that I've never seen x

[@absonus]

Beautiful .

[@educanassa100]

Amazing video

[@amiralifootouhi9482]

😍😍😍

[@historyheroesde9192]

Nice Video! Thanks!

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

What I wouldn't give to be the parish priest in this small village! (I'm licensed in the Canadian Anglican Church).

[@jontalbot1]

Come and visit. There are about 500 medieval churches in Suffolk

[@wuzzlebottom]

Thank you!

[@kellyfrost1052]

Would have been nice to see her butterfly cap... Always a great program though!

[@Val-ng9tn]

🐘

[@EllenCFarmGirl]

It is glorious ❤❤❤❤❤

[@excession3076]

On the carvings in/on the roof, what happened to the colour? The paint? Were they deliberately cleaned/stripped at some point or is it just age? Asking because other paint in other churches survive, (you showed us some wonderful painted panels in a previous video). And these would have been very hard to reach. Thankyou for the video, really good filming and the drone footage adds such a brilliant dimension.

[@lorihenderson673]

Please could you find the shropshire treasures

[@davidniedjaco9869]

Mr. Barton: Do you hold to or confess to a formal creed or institution such as the Catholic Church or C.O.E., or any other church or sort of spirituality, so to speak, or are you agnostic on the subject? Just curious in light of a lot of the subject matter..and I am aware that an antiquarian can be and many are not religious, but just are interested in the past, a lot of times that includes churches...sorry if im prying, or if I've overstepped my bounds..I do really enjoy your videos..God bless Mary protect +++

[@allanbarton]

I am certainly a man of Christian faith and in every respect it shapes my outlook and my work.

[@dr.casebolt]

Question -- is the upper and lower part different types of stone, or is the upper part whitewashed while the lower part is bare?

[@allanbarton]

Whitewash on the top, it’s odd how it finishes before it gets to the pillars.

[@robinbradach928]

Hello are any of these lovely parish churches still in use for church services?

[@allanbarton]

Yes, most of them - though many have tiny congregations.

[@djowen5192]

No, thank you.

[@allanbarton]

My pleasure.

[@roberterdei8627]

The real mystery? How could you (or anyone else) tell that horribly out of scale, small rabbit creature with hooves and a sawed-off trunk was intended to represent an elephant..?

[@allanbarton]

I’ve seen a fair few representations of medieval elephants in carvings and manuscripts.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaa808]

Our technology maybe advanced but our culture is definitely on a decline.

[@dorothysutton5162]

❤

[@Jo_Lori]

❤

[@jldisme]

❤