St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church, Gosberton
How old is the lectern?
This lectern has stood here since 1896, when it was donated to the church by a Mr. and Mrs. H. Calthrop of Barton-Upon-Humber. The Calthrops were an influential family with ties to Gosberton going back centuries – as is testified by the number of memorial floor slabs and wall tablets bearing their names.
What does the eagle signify?
The lectern is an object of beauty, being made of brass, surmounted by a brass eagle which juts out toward the congregation, and upon whose wings rests the Bible. The use of Eagle lecterns dates back to medieval times. The symbolism of the eagle derived from the belief that it was the bird that flew highest in the sky and was therefore closest to heaven, and symbolised the carrying of the word of God to the four corners of the world.
