Brum. 'Green Man' Walks? Anyone Attended?

I read about the Birmingham Green Man walks a while ago in a local history / Genealogy magazine and wondered if anyone on the forum had ever attended on?

It's not exactly the sort of thing you'd instantly associate with our gritty, second-city, of course, but our pagan heritage does tend to crop up in ghe most surprising places at times!! (Laugh!!!)

http://www.greenmanforum.co.uk/?id=78

All the best,

Nick

Hi Nick,I have never been on a Green Man walk before but it sounds interesting.

I have a green man on the wall outside my house.....I will post a piccie later.

There are some very old Green men around the cathedral here and I think I have snapped them so will try to find the piccies.

Posted by denise

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Hi Nick,I have never been on a Green Man walk before but it sounds interesting.

I have a green man on the wall outside my house.....I will post a piccie later.

There are some very old Green men around the cathedral here and I think I have snapped them so will try to find the piccies.

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Hi Denise,

I'm not a pagan - it seems rather trendy to say you are currently, of course - but I do have strong pagan sympathies..... and I've long found myself drawn to the Green Man figure, for some reason. Reading through the blurb on the link I posted, I hadn't realised that there were so many situated around Brum, to be honest? Quite an eye-opener!! The related figure at the Custard Factory is an absolute belter of an example!! Laugh!!

A friend of mine - an old occultist - fell into the habit of buying me Green Men plaques at Christmas, birthdays and so on, after learning of my interest in such things. We used to have a row of them over the window in the living room....... but my other half doesn't share my passion for such things and now they all reside in a box on top of the wardrobe!! Laugh, laugh!!!! (Their time will come again though.... I'm determined!!! Laugh!!)

What Cathedral are you referring to Denise? Post those pics up!! Laugh!!

All the best to you,

Nick

Lichfield cathedral.

I am not a pagan but I like them LOL

I would not have them inside but they look good on outside walls.I agree with your partner on that one.

The one I have has acorns and oak leaves around him.Maybe because I am keen on growing things and seeing the changing seasons this one appeals to me.

Hi Nick

When I first saw this thread I thought you was referring to The Green Man over at Bromford (The Lad in the Lane) , thats supposed to be haunted isn't it?

Not a regular port of call for me put I have had a couple of drinks in there, and the only spirits I saw were in my glass. I have drank at the one in Harborne High St and the one that used to be on the corner of Richard St and Dartmouth St. John might remember that one, I was only a kid when I went in there.

I suppose these pubs hark back to the original Pagan Green Man from the dark ages.

Phil

Well this is all new to me. I don't know what I thought the "Green Man" of pub names referred to but this wouldn't have been it.
I suppose I will see them all over the place now, especially if I go and buy one.

VM

I'm the same, I'd never given a thought to the name The Green Man. So its as much a surprise to me to discover the origins of the name.

Phil

Posted by denise

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Lichfield cathedral.

I am not a pagan but I like them LOL

I would not have them inside but they look good on outside walls.I agree with your partner on that one.

The one I have has acorns and oak leaves around him.Maybe because I am keen on growing things and seeing the changing seasons this one appeals to me.

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I think there is a bit of the pagan in all of us Denise!! Laugh!!!

Your Green Man is a jolly looking chap!! Most of the contemporary ones seem to be jolly little devils - all smiley and the like - but some of the medieval ones are just downright scary!!!! (Or blatantly miserable looking!! Laugh!!)

I was just trying to think if I'd ever seen the Green Man in Lichfield Cathedral........? Or, should I say 'Green Men', as there are probably a few there, I'd imagine?

Posted by phil

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Hi Nick
When I first saw this thread I thought you was referring to The Green Man over at Bromford (The Lad in the Lane) , thats supposed to be haunted isn't it?
Not a regular port of call for me put I have had a couple of drinks in there, and the only spirits I saw were in my glass. I have drank at the one in Harborne High St and the one that used to be on the corner of Richard St and Dartmouth St. John might remember that one, I was only a kid when I went in there.

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It is indeed said to be haunted Phil, but I've never had the pleasure myself. I've just been scrabbling around the bookshelves, as I know I've got something on it somewhere........ but can I put my finger on the volume now!?!? Laugh!!!

Posted by phil

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I suppose these pubs hark back to the original Pagan Green Man from the dark ages.

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Posted by Voltman

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Well this is all new to me. I don't know what I thought the "Green Man" of pub names referred to but this wouldn't have been it.
I suppose I will see them all over the place now, especially if I go and buy one.

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Posted by phil

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VM
I'm the same, I'd never given a thought to the name The Green Man. So its as much a surprise to me to discover the origins of the name.
Phil

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I don't know why these pubs in particular would have been given such a name, but this - the pagan symbol - is basically where the title comes from..... I think there were a lot more around in the past than nowadays..... The excellent ghost story / morality tale by Kingsley Amis was, of course, based in a public house / hotel of this name, giving the title of the story, etc. Don't know if anyone ever saw the televised version of this - starring Albert Finney (and featuring Oldbury lass, Josie Lawrence).

As with the 'I-Spy' range of books of my childhood, lets turn this into an 'I've spotted a Green Man' section!!! Laugh, laugh!!!!

All the best to everyone,

Regards,

Nick

I have seen these Green Men around all over the place I hadn't a clue what they were all about. Fascinating stuff.

Posted by Sheldonboy

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I have seen these Green Men around all over the place I hadn't a clue what they were all about. Fascinating stuff.

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As with a lot of things, Wikipedia has a nice piece on them which pretty much gives you a potted history on the subject (as well as some lovely examples in pic form): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man

Digressing slightly, but someone once told me that they had been walking through the trees on Wychbury Ring, nr. Hagley, when they seen a figure / form with a face like a Green Man!!! Now that would be something I'd like to see!! (Even if I suspect their sighting was of a tramp, or possibly someone in a mask? Laugh, laugh!!! You get a lot of pagan / New Age types over Wychbury!! Laugh!)

Below is an example of a slightly bewildered looking Man that can be found in the 'toilets' at St. Mary's Guildhall in Coventry!! Laugh!! No wonder the poor devils eyes are popping out!!

All the best,

Nick

Never heard of them or seen them, the only green man I've ever seen was the one from Mars the other night.

Posted by signman

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Never heard of them or seen them, the only green man I've ever seen was the one from Mars the other night.

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Wherever you live Signman, I'll bet there are at least some examples within a stones throw......

Unless you're on Mars, of course! Laugh!!!

All the best,

Nick

Morning Nick, I'm in Brighton, truthfully I've never heard of green men, I've always referred to them as gargoyles, I'm on a mission now to find any in Brighton, is there any criteria involved.
Regards John.

Lovely Green Man Nick.


This guy is a very old Green man,he has been put onto the wall of the study centre at Lichfield cathedral..not sure of his original position.

Posted by signman

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Morning Nick, I'm in Brighton, truthfully I've never heard of green men, I've always referred to them as gargoyles, I'm on a mission now to find any in Brighton, is there any criteria involved.
Regards John.

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No criteria really John - it's just one of those things thats either present or not, it seems. If there is someone who has taken an interest in the subject in your area previously, I'd imagine there's probably / possibly a record somewhere.... but I'd guess it's just a matter of keeping an eye open, on the whole. If you've got any old churches in the region (I don't know Brighton at all, I'm afraid) that would certainly be your best starting point.

How old is Brighton itself? Needless to say, if it's a reasonably recent settlement (post medieval period) the chances of finding original / historical versions of this figure would be affected...... though the symbol has continued throughout recent history too, so there might be a few, more contemporary ones knocking about, etc?

Happy hunting to you!!! Laugh!!

Regards,

Nick