Pulpit Fall, Glasgow Cathedral

I was quietly lining up my shot of the pulpit fall, when a helpful custodian asked if I knew what the holder was for on the right hand side.

I suggested it might be for a candle. Wrong answer, it used to hold an hour glass, which survives intact in the Cathedral archives. They were made of sterner stuff way back when. A cold building, wooden pews, and a sermon an hour long. I wonder how long the services lasted?

Back to the Pulpit Fall. I think it is a beautiful, modern piece. I like the colours, which blend well with the fittings and furnishings.

IHS - this means Jesus. Transliterated from the Greek, it reads “ihsous”. This is the name used for Jesus in the gospels.