Monuments and Chancel Steps, Tenby Church 1870s

This photograph by Francis Bedford captures the interior of Tenby Church, its chancel steps leading the eye towards the altar. The arches evoke a sense of the sacred, a visual echo of triumph. But it is the steps themselves that hold our attention. Stairways in sacred spaces are hardly unique. Think of the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia, towering towards the heavens, or the steps leading to the temples of the Mayans. The motif transcends cultures, each step representing a conscious journey towards the divine. The steps are a symbol of ascent, both physical and spiritual, a motif as old as time itself. In the collective memory, they evoke a sense of aspiration, of striving for something higher. They’re not just stone, but a ladder woven through human history. The recurring resurfacing is a testament to its enduring power, each iteration coloured by its unique historical and cultural context.