Hidden Stories - The Biik

 Here is an absolute feast of spectacular pictures and extraordinary stories, collected into a beautiful book by someone whose fascination with St Andrew's shines from each of its 116 lavishly illustrated pages.

In 2022, the PCC asked Jonathan Bean to put together a photographic exhibition of some aspects of the church that most people cannot easily see or interpret.  This led him on a journey of exploration up dark staircases, into spider-webbed crevices, through locked doors and high aloft into the tower and ceiling spaces.

What he found resulted in the first wonderful display of Hidden treasures, focusing on the Rood Screen, the Ceiling Bosses and the Graffiti which can be found in many parts of the church.  The photos were superb, but it was the stories, which Jonathan researched and used to explain his discoveries, which really brought the history of St Andrew's to life.

It was never going to end there!  Since then, Jonathan has produced a new exhibition every year and most of his work can be seen all day, every day, in the church.  It has inspired him and it inspires all who take the time to study what he has done,  To quote: "What I discovered gave me SO much more understanding of my village, my neighbourhood, my landscape and the personal stories of people who'd gone before; stories of 1000 years of social history.  It leaves me with a sense of passing through - and of responsibility to the future."

The exhibitions are free, but many people have been inpired to donate to HCCF after looking at them, perhaps because they, like him, feel that St Andrew's is much more than a glorious building, it is the embodiment of life over the past millennium in the village of Harberton.

Jonathan, with support from Stanley Oldfield, the village historian, has now produced a book "Hidden Stories of Harberton" which includes all of the exhibitions so far.  It is available to order from harbertonccf@gmail.com and costs £25 (paperback or £32 (hardback) plus £3 postage.  Deatils of how to pay will be provided on request.