2012 Project365 (Day 16)
Categories: guernsey, photography, project365-2
Tags: menhir, statue, Guernsey
Date: 16 January 2012 17:08:02
La Gran Mere...
This is the Castel Church Menhir. She stands about 2m tall and is believed to date back to between the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze age, circa 2500-1800 BC. The head and body are marked by shoulders and a crown and in relief are breasts and a necklace.
It's function is unknown but is believed to mark a sacred space and some say that she is a fertility symbol. It was discovered under the chancel steps of the church in 1878 and was hidden away, it was possibly hidden to help prevent it being destroyed as it was a pagan symbol, although it does have some damage to one of the breasts.
These menhirs are very rare and we are lucky enough to have two on the island, the other one is at the entrance to St Martin's Church.