The thousands of medieval village churches that lie scattered across Europe provide us with unique insights into society and religion during the Middle Ages. Although many original furnishings fell victim to iconoclasm, war, neglect or refurbishment, some church interiors have remained surprisingly intact. Since 1998, Justin Kroesen and Regnerus Steensma traced, visited, photographed and recorded descriptions of hundreds of village churches throughout Western Europe. In this book the reader is invited to take an imaginary walk through a random medieval country church and admire fifteen pieces of furniture that are discussed in richly illustrated chapters. A description of the form and function of the object in question is followed by a survey of surviving characteristic examples in different countries. The volume concludes with an outline of the vicissitudes of church furnishings since the Middle Ages.
"In addition to its excellent colour illustrations, the value of this volume lies in its pan-European scope and its ability to contextualise all those orphaned furnishings in our museums" (David Gaimster, Journal of Ecclesiastical History) "Kroesen and Steensma have produced a beautiful book" (Barbara Watkinson, Speculum) "Un libro meraviglioso" (Arte Cristiana)