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The West Dorset Magazine, July 1, 2022
Down to earth
The Devil’s Door and the Mermaid PAGAN VIEWS by JO BELASCO
Whitcombe church’s foundations are over a thousand years old. My pagan view is that it is a wonderful place to spend some time. The dedication of the ancient church is unknown and it is now in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust. I can’t help wondering who it was originally dedicated to. On the North Wall is a mural of St Christopher holding the Christ child. I knew St Christopher was the patron saint of travellers but I did not know that he particularly specialised in helping people across water. Perhaps that is why there is a painting of a mermaid in the same mural. Being part beast, medieval Christians used mermaids as shorthand for temptresses. Often depicted, as this one is, with a mirror indicating vanity and is that a comb in her other hand? Medieval congregations could not read, so often these images on the wall were used as pictorial lessons. There is such a lot of fascinating lore in churches and just as you think you have learnt the rough idea it changes in the next century. Whether you believe the origins of mermaids were from tipsy lonely sailors sighting manatees or
HISTORY LESSON: Whitcombe church and, left, the bricked-up Devil’s Door and, right, a fading mermaid mural
water goddesses from other cultures I am sure you will agree it is unusual to find one in a church. Having just been reading about Oshun, a fresh water goddess, I am struck by the similarity of the mirror to the round ritual fan which Oshun is always depicted with. Circles are often employed as historical symbols of everlasting protection – I think I
prefer this interpretation to the early churches. It’s amazing to think this church may once have entertained both Christians and Pagans. Pagans were originally only allowed in the north door, which has connotations of being less angelic than the other three cardinal points. Many churches in Dorset and throughout the UK have blocked up north entrances and Whitcombe
church is no exception, as you can see here in the photo. The north entrance was said to be the exit of choice for the departing evilness when a baby was baptised! Why the north got this bad reputation in the first place is not clear. Probably partly due to the existence of the constellation Draco, the great serpent of the north, which ties up nicely with the Mermaid’s tail.
