Books and resources on Sheela Na Gigs
ISBN: 1856352943 |
The Divine Hag of the Christian Celts
Jack Roberts and Joanne McMahon
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Highly Recommended Published in May 2001 by Mercier Press this is a new book by Jack Roberts. An interesting read it proposes that not all figures are warnings against lust which is the major premise of Images of Lust. The book includes a useful gazetteer section but does include some figures which are dubious to say the least (Abson is a good example). The book is marred by some very bad editing which should have been picked up at the proof reading stage. The author names several figures as uniquely (sic) lying on their side. Another annoying point is that the South Tawton figure is said to be in South Taunton which is misleading. Minor gripes aside the book is extremely readable and is a useful addition to the subject.
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ISBN: 87 423 01823 |
The Witch on the Wall
Jorgen Andersen |
THE book on Sheela na
Gigs
This is the standard work on Sheelas which is now unfortunately out of print and almost impossible to get hold of. |
2nd Edition Cover
1st Edition Cover (1986 Batsford) ISBN: 0415151562 |
Images of Lust Anthony Weir and James Jerman Images Of Lust is available at Amazon |
Highly Recommended.
An academic view of Sheelas and other exhibitionist figures in general. Describes Sheelas as medieval morality figures. Informative and authoritative it's unfortunately marred by minor inaccuracies. Nevertheless it does put forward the most convincing and least esoteric theory for the origin of sheelas. This book has been recently re-published so
getting hold of a copy should not prove to much of a problem. If you
can't get The Witch on the Wall then get
this book. Anthony Weir's website can be found here |
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Cover available yet
ISBN: 0415345529 |
Sheela Na Gigs Unravelling
an Enigma
Dr Barbara Freitag
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A new book on
Sheelas due for publication late 2004 by Routledge. Release date keeps
changing so please check the link below for the latest one.
Click here for a brief synopsis of the contents. |
ISBN: 1903464528
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The
Sacred Whore: Sheela Goddess of the Celts
The Sacred Whore: Sheela Goddess of the Celts is available at Amazon
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A new book on Sheelas which is due for publication 2004-03-15. Check back here for a short review after that date. Available on Amazon. |
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The Sheela Na Gigs of Britain and
Ireland (Booklet) Jack Roberts |
Highly recommended. A comprehensive (especially for Ireland) and up to date the booklet and map are a useful addition to anyone wanting to find out more about sheelas. Stresses a Celtic origin for sheelas. Includes many sheelas not mentioned in Images of Lust. You can get hold of a copy of this excellent little booklet directly from the author at or via your local bookshop. |
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An Illustrated Map of the Sheela Na
Gigs of Britain and Ireland (Map) Jack Roberts and Joanne McMahon |
Highly recommended.
An excellent map of the locations of Sheelas in Ireland and Britain with
some lovely illustrations of Sheelas. Includes many sheelas not
mentioned in Images of Lust You can buy this map directly from the author or from your local bookshop |
ISBN: 094617251X
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Sheela-na-Gigs origins and functions
Eamon P Kelly
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Highly recommended. This slim book concentrates on Irish sheelas and suggests a origins and possible functions for them. Great if you intend going to Ireland to find some sheelas |
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The following books are not actually about sheelas but do contain information about specific sheelas |
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ISBN:1 873827 60 1 |
The Herefordshire School
of Romanesque Sculpture
Malcom Thurlbury |
Published by Logaston Press this book goes behind the sculptures on Romanesque buildings to find the people behind the work and the sources they used for inspiration such as the Bible and The Bestiary. The book makes a somewhat bizzare comparison between one of the corbels on Rock church with the Kilpeck sheela but other than that is an authoritative guide to the Herefordshire school of Romanesque Sculpture. |
ISBN:0-7083-1801-0 |
The Visual Culture of
Wales : Medieval Vision
Peter Lord Available on Amazon and from the publisher
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Published by The University of Wales Press in 2003 this book is the third and final volume of the The Visual Culture of Wales series. This volume deals with medieval imagery in Wales and contains many examples of Welsh medieval church sculpture. The book mentions to previously unknown sheela figures in LLanon and Cynghordy in Mid and South West Wales. |
| Roof
Bosses in Medieval Churches : An Aspect of Gothic Sculpture
C.J.P Cave |
Published in 1948 this study of roof bosses in English Churches names a number of possible candidates for sheela na gig figures in Wells, Bristol and South Tawton. Unfortunately when visiting the figures the claims do not stand up and his interpretation of sheela na gig figures is loose to say the least. Andersen in the Witch On The Wall mentions his figures on his authority but it is not thought that he actually visited the figures himself. | |
ISBN: 0713725249 |
Twilight of the Celtic
Gods
David Clarke with Andy Roberts |
Contains two chapters about Sheela na
gig's "The curse of the Sheelas" which discuses the
background for Sheelas and mentions the Croft On Tees
Sheela. Another
Chapter entitled "Freya" discusses the Pennington Sheela and
possible Scandinavian connections. The book is a little sensationalist
in tone but does include some useful information.
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ISBN:0711705550
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Ghosts and Legends of the
Peak District
David Clarke |
A guide to the local legends and folklore in the Peak District this book mentions the Haddon Hall, Darley Dale, Melbourne and Alderwasley figures. |
ISBN:1853062952
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Hidden Kent
Alan Major |
A guide to the curiosities
of Kent this book mentions the Grain figure which we now know to be a
beard puller.
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ISBN: 1903341086 |
The Haunted Landscape
Katy Jordan
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The haunted landscape is a very
interesting book about the folklore of Wiltshire. Notably it contains
information about the Stanton St.Quintin Sheela which I've not seen
published anywhere else. The book is not available on Amazon
unfortunately but you should be able to order it via your local
bookshop. Or via Katy's webpages
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ISBN: 0951184407 |
A History of Easthorpe Essex
Anthony R. West |
Tells the story of the
history and buildings of the small village of Easthorpe in Essex in
great detail. The church there once housed a Sheela Na Gig which is
now in the Castle Museum in Colchester. Gives some background detail
for the sheela. I could not find a publisher for the book so I would
assume it is a private printing. Copies are available for sale at the
church in Easthorpe. As a side note, I tried getting in touch with the
author only to find that he has died recently a pity because the book
is obviously a work of love and I would have liked to have
congratulated him on it.
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ISBN:0-75370-330-0 |
The Companion to the English Parish
Church
Stephen Friar |
No specific information
about sheelas but very useful for decoding some of the architectural
terms used to locate sheelas.
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Sheela na Gig Jewelry
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Sheela na gig pendants from Ragweed Forge | The image of the sheela obviously has an enduring appeal. I first came across a sheela pendant on street stall in Dublin unfortunately I have never seen it since. However Ragweed Forge do two sheela pendants for your delight and delectation |
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Sheela Items from Bandia from Bandia Publishing | Jack Roberts in addition to writing and researching Sheelas also has a number of sheela related items |
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