St Werburgh

Wembury Litany Desk
Litany Desk at Wembury (PWDRO 116/44 with permission of Pinwill family)

Litany Desk – Photograph (PWDRO 116/44); 1938

This litany desk bears charming carvings related to the legends associated with St Werburgh. On the side, the saint herself is shown with geese, while on the cross-bar are three fish and more geese. These geese are depicted within a fenced enclosure, in an exacy copy of a pilgrim badge held at the British Museum, even down to the pin used to affix it. This is a wonderful example of the lengths to which Violet Pinwill went in order to present authentic images in her work.

Litany Desk at Wembury showing St Werburgh pilgrim badge depicting geese in fenced enclosure

The desk is in memory of the Revd Anyon Herbert Duxbury, vicar of Wembury 1923-36. A faculty for the litany desk was granted in 1938 (PWDRO 729/70).

Sources

PWDRO 116/44 Photograph. Wembury. Litany Desk.

PWDRO 729/70 Faculty. Wembury. Litany Desk.