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church : rectors letter : december 2002 Reproduced from Glenside News : December2002/January 2003 "Dear Friends Its not unusual to walk into a church and find the lectern to be in the form of a fine eagle. I'm not sure of the origin of this, perhaps someone can tell me, but they do come in all shapes and sizes. Quite often they are made of brass, I had one in my last parish that was so fat it would never have got off the ground, and I recall an old Army church that had one carved from wood. We seem to have a dearth of them in these parishes, although there is a broken one in Careby church, but if you visit the village of Boynton-on-the-Wolds in Yorkshire you will find a most unusual lectern. Like most unusual things is has an interesting story to tell. The lectern there is rather more ornate than is usual and it incorporates a coat of arms belonging to the family of a certain William Strickland. Among other things the coat of arms includes a turkey which, according to the church guide is 'a turkey in its proper pride, beaked, membered, sable coated and wattled gules'. My Old English isn't too good but roughly translated I assume that means ' stuffed and ready for the oven'! William Strickland was the man who introduced our now traditional Christmas fare into England because turkey, as the centre piece of our dinner, does not go back to 1066 and all that! Williams Strickland was a sailor and he commanded one of Sabastian Cabot's ships during an expedition to the New World in the year 1525. When food fell short he led a foraging party ashore somewhere on the coast of South America. The exact location is uncertain but he made a discovery that changed the dinner tables of this country forever. He discovered the turkey. Well, being an entreprising man he brought some of them back to England and Elizabeth I, who came to the throne some thirty years later, thought them the best thing since sliced bread. It's not recorded what Henry VIII thought, he was the reigning monarch, but perhaps he was too busy trying to sort out his matrimonial problems to notice what he was eating! I suppose Elizabeth's reaction was not surprising because, prior to their introduction, the centre piece of the Christmas table was always a decorated roast swan and a glazed pig's head, both of which are said to leave a lot to be desired. The Queen, in one of those rare moments when she praised something other than herself, called them 'a most strange but marvellous bird'. I suppose she could afford to be magnanimous, at least a turkey wouldn't try and usurp her throne! James I, son of Mary Queen of Scots and nephew of Elizabeth, succeeded her, and not wishing to be outdone by his famous aunt declared them to be 'The King of Birds and the Bird of Kings'. It was Elizabeth though who was responsible for the lectern in the church at Boynton, she granted Strickland the right to incorporate a turkey into his coat of arms and it stands to this day as a witness to his exploits. So, as you sit in your chair on Chritmas afternoon, bitterly regretting your weakness in taking a second helping of meat, you know who was to blame. 'Strickland' we can all shout as we reach for the anti-acid tablets, 'why didn't you leave the damned things where they were?!' And thats all I've got room for except to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. Christmas Services .... begin with the Christingle Service as usual and end on Christmas morning with a good sing song of carols at Little Bytham. It is Creeton's turn for the Midnight Communion, so that might be a squash, and Christmas Morning there are two communions, a said one at Castle Bytham and one with carols at Careby. On the Sunday after Christmas there will be just one Communion, 10am at Castle Bytham." The Rev Bryan Bennett Castle Bytham Rectory |
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