However, through the topographical and place-name archive the memory of our sacred trees lives on, peppering the modern landscape with a tantalising glimpse of what must have been a common phenomenon. By taking the former county of Avon as an example I hope to demonstrate the surprising amount of surviving tree lore and the degree to which trees have sometimes become repositories for human souls. I hope too that the material I present will inspire others to delve beneath familiar landscapes and resurrect the world of the sacred tree. Paul Wain Tree veneration in the Peak District Features connected with nature court powerful beliefs and weird tales. Worldwide trees were and are venerated and linked to myths and legends.
People still touch wood to avoid misfortune.
The Green Man , a name coined by Lady Raglan in 1939, is a mediaeval image usually found in churches. Carved in stone or wood, depicted on stained glass, illuminated manuscripts and where else, he can be recognised as a face, often grotesque, with foliage sprouting from his mouth, nose, eyes or ears. Alternatively, he may be a face composed entirely of leaves. Exterior or interior, he features on capitals, corbels, choir stalls, bench ends, fonts, screens, roof bosses - indeed, any surface open to ornamentation. Full text of Ruth Wylie's article with photo-feature of fourteen striking examples of foliate faces in British churches.