The Red Vicar

Conrad Noel, the "Red Vicar" of Thaxted, certainly created controversy in his life. He was a founding member of the British Socialist Party & was vicar in Thaxted until his death in 1942. Conrad Noel’s most notable action was to hang the red flag and the flag of Sinn Féin alongside the flag of St George in the Church. This led to "the Battle of the Flags". Generations of Cambridge undergraduates journeyed here to remove the flags. They led attacks on the church, pulled the flags down, sparking off fist-fights. Ah, church & flags & politics & nationalism ...

I popped in to Thaxted church on the way back from dropping off resources at Debden. It has been described as "the finest parish church in the country", some might take issue with that, hopefully not to the extent of raising fists.

Apparently, the star-shaped candelabra tells the Christmas story, Matthew 1:1-17. There are 42 lights made up of 3 x 14. There were 14 generations from Abraham to King David, 14 generations from King David to the Flight into Egypt, and 14 generations from the Flight into Egypt to the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The ball below the 42 lights symbolises the world; therefore, Jesus, the Light of the World .... Phew! Someone thought hard about that one.

It's a beautiful space, home to poets, composers and commoners alike, there remains a very strong musical tradition and ..... no fights whilst I was there, just someone buying "rest in peace" cards.