A MILE south-east of Sutton Bank along the edge of the dramatic escarpment that drops from the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors to the Vales of Mowbray and of York, in the woods above the village of Oldstead, there is a small building modestly constructed of tile and local stone. It looks like an old barn —as, indeed, it once was—but what clearly marks it out as something of much greater interest is the entrance. This is ornamented with sculpture and hung with intricately carved doors. On the threshold is an inscription that reads simply: ‘John Joseph Bunting Sculptor and artist of Ryedale built this chapel 1957 Died 19 November 2002 aged 75.’
John Bunting recalled that he had first seen the abandoned barn that became his War Memorial Chapel on June 6, 1944, a day now familiar as D-Day. He was then a student at the nearby school attached to the Benedictine Abbey at Ampleforth. Both the school and abbey played an important part in Bunting’s life, but, to an extraordinary degree, it was this building that became the focus for his ideas and energy. It stands today as his monument and a physical expression of his art and ideals.
The story of the chapel and its setting has already been poignantly told from a personal perspective by the sculptor’s daughter, journalist and writer Madeleine Bunting, in her book The Plot (2009). Similarly, a monograph on Bunting’s life and artistic output has been published by Jonathan Black, Spirit of Faith (2011). If these accounts can be added to, it is perhaps by looking at the chapel by itself as an artistic creation.
Denne historien er fra April 13, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra April 13, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
