 The North side exhibitionist figure (above). Note the light colored dot in the vulval cavity possibly meant to indicate a clitoris. Another interpretation is that it is possibly the remnants of a finger pointing to the vulva as found on the Oaksey and Lower Swell figures. However looking at the photo above the clitoris theory seems more likely. I paid two visits to this figure on 10/10/2004 and 1/09/2006 at both times the pale dot was present so it seems unlikely its a cobweb. |
A sheela na gig
at Ely Cathedral has been recorded for sometime. It gets a mention in Images
of Lust after the work of professor George Zarnecki. However it
turns out that there are two very similar female exhibitionist figures
on the cathedral. This discovery came about from members of the Sheela
na gig mailinglist visiting the cathedral to photograph the figure and
comparing their results. The first members to visit the cathedral
informed the list that sheela was extremely difficult to photograph as
you needed to be in the Bishops private garden to get the best view.
Other members of the list were puzzled at this as all you had to do was
hop over a small wall and photograph the figure from a public green.
Photographs of the figures were of low quality mainly due to the height
of the figures on the cathedral's clerestory. When they were compared
they seemed to be of the same figure taking into account differing
angles of view. However when the surrounding masonry and neighbouring
corbels were compared it became obvious that the photographs were in
fact of two different figures. Further research showed that the figures
were in fact on opposite sides of the cathedral one being on the North
clerestory while the other is on the South clerestory.
The fact that the cathedral has two very similar female exhibitionist
figures does not seem to be a well known fact. This is further borne out
by the entries
for the Ely corbels at the Courtauld institute's CRSBI
site where the North figure is not listed as being exhibitionist. As you
can see from the picture on the left it most definitely
is. Further discussions on the sheela na gig mailing list showed that
some members had visited the north figure while others had visited the
south figure. Both groups coming away having seen the Ely sheela
na gig.
The French Connection
A similarly styled figure in Vaux sur Aure in France. Photograph used by persmission of Guillaume Lelièvre. |
| The South side exhibitionist figure (right) this picture from the CRSBI site clearly shows its exhibitionist nature. The south side figure is only viewable from the Bishop's private residence which is obviously not open to the public. |  Photograph used with permission from the CRSBI |
|
The Priors door at Ely Cathedral. Prof. George Zarnecki makes a comparison between the head on the door and the Kings head above the door at Twywell. Since this picture was taken an annexe to the cathedral has been built which means that the doorway is now indoors. |
 Photo courtesy of Anthony Weir |
 |
|
| The black arrow indicates the approximate position of the sheela na gig on the North side of the cathedral |
1. Clerestory. The upper part of the nave, transepts, and choir of a church, containing windows... or ...An upper portion of a wall containing windows for supplying natural light to a building
