Heighington again!
The pulpit is to be found in the Anglican Parish Church of St. Michael at Heighington in County Durham. It dates from the beginning of the sixteenth century – not long before the Reformation
It seems to be the oldest pulpit in our part of the world. There are others further south but for our part of the world it is a remarkable survival.
It was probably used at Mass for preaching. Sometimes a preacher might speak on another occasion outside the celebration of the Liturgy.
It may also have been used for reading the ‘Bede Roll’. Here ‘Bede’ means ‘bid’, just as we have today ‘the Bidding Prayer’.
The ‘Bede Roll’ or another form called the Prayer of the Prone, was an important part of Mass in the Middle Ages when the names of those being prayed for were read out.
An inscription at the top invites us to pray for the donor Alexander Flettcher and his wife Agnes. We pray for them and for all those who work to spread the Gospel message in our own time.
Did you work it out?
Alright puzzle solvers, Father Adrian's conundrum had you all scratching your heads this week! While we've no overall victor, a special commendation goes to one particularly astute puzzler (details below!). Father Adrian's solution is just a click away – and keep your eyes peeled for a fresh brain teaser landing this weekend!
No winner.
Honourable mention:
Pauline
Well done Pauline