A few months ago, I finished reading “Beneath The Langley Cross – Reminiscences Of All Saints & Martyrs And Its People” by my Manc Bud & poet, Andrew James Murray.
What drew me in to reading this was two-fold:
- An interest in the culmination of this several year project of my friend – gathering interviews and curating an oral history of a place I am unfamiliar with and
- A fascination with yet another Manchester area icon: The Langley Cross
What kept my attention?
The stories told that are held within its pages.
This is well-written (edited interview transcriptions), well-curated and covers a lot of ground. Spanning the years from 1954-present, it is easily understood in that the overarching story is told by those still living it. Additionally, as a non-Brit, I was able to grasp some of the cultural idiosyncrasies in context.
What struck me most was how the fellowship, community & outreach parallel the spirit of my experiences as a young adult during the counterculture Jesus Movement of the 60s/70s from across the pond in Colorado – earthy, gritty, hands-on, purity of intent, & making a difference in lives.
These people were doers*.
“Living it out without emphasizing the fact.“**
Crossing generations, social divides, cultural and religious differences.
I relate to this.
What makes this extra-ordinary for me as a Yank is the context of these living encounters occurring within the ‘organized’ Church. Specifically, the huge establishment called, the Church of England.
The book contains living examples of how denominational enabled faith can be a vital force within local communities.
It also teases personalities into the mix, making for many laugh-out-loud moments within the reading.
“There’re so many memories. I remember once, during the middle of the service, a woman, (who shall remain nameless), got up to go to the toilet in the hall. It was during the sermon when she came back, and she walked back to her place with this long line of toilet paper trailing after her out of her dress. I can’t remember who was giving the sermon but he didn’t miss a beat, just carried on. That could only happen at our church.”
Hilary Savage, Beneath the Langley cross, pg 185
As for The Langley Cross itself. My taste tends towards abstract expressionism, so from an artistic view, it immediately captured my interest. I looked up everything I could find on the sculptor, Geoffrey Clarke RA, and the history behind the making of it.
The fact that such a piece – real art – landed in an ordinary ‘overspill’ social housing area during the 1960s, I call miraculous.
The sculpture itself is 37 feet high and about 20 feet wide at the extremities of the transverse shaft and made of cast aluminum metal. No flimsy, non-descript plastic/wooden 2×4 cross for this congregation!
But that’s only part of the miracle.
The real miracle is that The Langley Cross speaks to the hearts of the people it serves. There is beauty in struggle, purpose in pain. Hope. A timeless message for a broken world.
“Clarke’s cross portrays the brutality of the ancient Roman practice of crucifixion yet at the same time seems to interpret this in a more modern context…the rugged structure of the Langley Cross, which is made in rough cast aluminum, serves to remind us of the harshness and brutality of the Cross on Golgotha…representing our Lord’s offering of himself for us on the cross to us in the Holy Sacrament – This is my Body which is given for you…“
All Saints And Martyrs website
* James 1:22-27
** Mona Davies, Beneath the Langley Cross pg 59
Andrew James Murray is a writer and poet living in Manchester, England. Along with his own poetry collections – Heading North (2015), In Brigantia (2019) and Fifty (2023) – his work has appeared in various publications and anthologies, including Best Of Manchester Poets.
Find his books here
What a detailed and excellent review, and a fascinating history.
Yes, fascinating!
😀
What an interesting post, thank you for sharing. I knew nothing of the Langley cross, so I enjoyed reading your thoughts as well as seeing the photo of the cross.
You’re most welcome, Wendy! Thanks for stopping by.
Laura – thank you so much for making this post about my book!
I’m so grateful that you have done this to bring it to the attention of your readers – and I’m grateful as always that you take the time to read what I put out (He)art across the Pond 🙂
You’re more than welcome, Andy.
(He)art across the Pond back attchya, bud!
😎
How interesting! The cross is so unique and as you say a beautiful piece of abstract art. I love what it stands for and speaks to: the cruelty of crucifixion as well as the overcoming of that through Christ’s humility and all powerful love.
Amen and Amen! 🙂
That is an amazing sculpture!
Really cool – and the size is hard for me to fathom!
Wonderful post, Laura! Congrats to Andy. Well-deserved!!
Yes, indeed – Andy’s body of work is well worth perusing.
Thank you 🙏
Andy’s book sounds like a real treasure, Laura. Fascinating on many accounts. Ah, the Jesus Movement of the 60s and 70s. I was engaged in a local movement during my last couple of years in high school. It was the only time little introverted me actually “belonged” to a group of any kind. I didn’t last. I’m not sure why I stopped participating. I know my mother didn’t like my participation.
I do remember our group was looked on with some suspicion (I was living in a pretty conservative part of rural New York State), and there weren’t any efforts to engage with the local community. Our group was seen as more a cult than a respectable religious movement, and we didn’t really do anything to dispel that perception. Our group was insular and seemed to take some pride in being perceived as different from other churches.
Still, the group expanded my very insulated world, and I made some friendships that, though they did not last, I still have fond memories of.
Like many ‘movements’, they start out bright-eyed, hopeful, eager to touch lives, spreading messages of peace, love, social justice, etc – then evolve for whatever reason into different variants that often warp original intentions. I don’t think I ‘outgrew’ the Jesus Movement, I believe I grew through it and then continued in my own way on the path to becoming a better person. As you say it expanded your insulated world – anything that takes us outside our POV helps us to become more compassionate towards others IMHO. Which you are, BTW. A compassionate introvert who finds ways of making a difference! 🙂
Oh, thank you, Laura! The movement was exciting for me in the early days. There was an older couple who liked to think of us as their “grandkids.” They had big hearts, but when the group started to deteriorate, they stopped coming to the meetings. But like you said, we grow through these experiences. They are not for naught (think I got that right?? 🤷🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️)
Yeah, you got it right – great punny last sentence! HA!
What a lovely tribute to Andy! I also want to feature his book on my blog at some point! But what a great project. A beautiful reminder that people are the treasures here.
Well put, L. Marie. I felt like I was sitting in with Andy while he was conducting his interviews…I could hear their voices, accent, inflections and dry senses of humo(u)r throughout the narrative.
So good! Yes! I sat with my sister-in-law and brother while they recorded my sister-in-law’s interview of her dad, her aunt, and her uncle. These stories are so important to record and cherish.
Oh what a treasure!
In regard to the humour, I liked the playful banter between the married couple Roy and Muriel. Roy, sadly, is no longer with us. He was a lovely man.
Yesss! They were especially saucy at times! 😉 So sorry to hear of Roy’s passing and Muriel’s entrance into widowhood.
As Bishop Jack described them in his interview – it’s the wonderful, remarkable people.
Laura, What a beautiful, unique sculpture! Your lovely review of the book about the history of the church is intriguing. The artistic sculpture is a hint of stories about unconventional events that occurred in the church over the years. Lovely photo of the Langley Cross! 💕
Thank you, Cheryl!
There is a good mix of the traditional and the unconventional!