It all began in Grade Six

 

The Narnia Window

My love of the Chronicles of Narnia began in sixth grade.  At the end of the school year, I received an award (I can not remember what it was for) and the prize awarded was C. S. Lewis's book The Secret of the Silver Chair.  I have a vague memory of the original movie the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but this would make the first time I read the chronicles and at twelve I don't remember reading them in order.

Some years later the books were revived again and a new movie was made.  This prompted a re-read of the books, this time in order, and an eventual watching of the newly made movie.

Today my DH needed to be in Oxford and I suggested I would give it a miss and just relax.  But then I pulled out the phone and googled things to do.  Yes the Harry Potter sites topped the list and then there was another site that caught my eye 41 Cool and Unusual Things to do in Oxford.  So I had a look.  Lo and behold C.S. Lewis is buried there and there is a Narnia window in his home church.  So I told my DH I thought I would tag along after all.

Once in Oxford, I thought how hard could this be?  We found a church that had a tourist map and St. Michaels is a tourist destination but there was no time to dally there today and climb the tower!  I asked the workers there for directions to my destination and was told it was at least an hour to walk.  How very disappointing!  I didn't have that kind of time.  So off we go to a coffee shop for me to rethink my day.  Google maps to the rescue a twenty-five-minute bus ride and about a ten-minute walk would get me there.

I left my DH in the coffee shop, he has another commitment, and I was off.  Sure enough on the fifteenth stop I was off to find Holy Trinity church.  I was in the suburbs to be sure!  Finally, I reached the Coach house and vicarage.  There was a sign pointing down a path to the church and finally amongst the trees I could see the tower of the church and then the gates to the churchyard.

It is likely the smallest church and the most unpretentious church that I have been in on this journey.  It was open to visitors and welcoming.  I slipped inside to spend a short time here.  

I looked around for the window with the expectation that it would be large and colourful.  Instead, I found simplicity in one of the regular windows of the church and yet it was loaded with the symbolism of Narnia.

Aslan is the sun radiating life and light

The waterfall from the paw shows his role as life-giver to Narnia

Other images from the stories: the trees are the Apple tree and 

the talking tree

The flying horse from the stories

The window is simplistic compared to the many that are generally seen in the buildings but it is the simplicity that makes you pause and linger for another glance and what else will be seen if you look a little closer. 

It was well worth the trek completely off the tourist track and a beautiful reminder of the beauty in the simple things that are too easy to miss.

Holy Trinity Church and grounds