The Green Man is found in many forms throughout history.
He is to be found in many different guises, but the common feature is the face
covered by foliage, very often sprouting from their mouths.
He is often found carved in wood or stone in medieval churches and cathedrals.
Why they were included in the construction of these buildings by
the masons has perhaps been lost in the mists of time.
Some people suspect that he was a bridge between the new beliefs of
Christianity and the Pagan beliefs it replaced.
Evidence for this cross-over of religions could be assumed from the siting of
Christian churches at the site of pagan sacred places.
The term “Green Man” is modern in nature, dating back to 1939
when Lady Raglan published an article in the “Folklore” journal.
He has appeared as “Jack in the Green” and there has been a revival of these
appearances around the date of Beltane or May Day every spring, marking re-birth
and the start of the cycle of growth.
I am sure that the Green Man means different things to different people in this day and age.
To many he represents a figure who is an Environmental guardian “the keeper of the forests and woods”.
