The meaning and significance attached to the 'Green Man' motif would have been apparent to the medieval faithful, including the patrons who commissioned them and the stonemasons and woodcarvers who created them. These individuals were well versed in biblical narratives and with associated Christian apocrypha, lore, and legend that helped to flesh out and illuminate scripture. The visual narrative of medieval churches brought such stories to life in a meaningful way for all, whether literate or illiterate.
The 'Green Man' motif, as it appears in the cathedrals and churches of England, does not represent a pagan figure, as initially proposed in a 1939 publication. Lady Raglan, who first came up with the term 'Green Man' for this genre, wrote:
What the motif actually represents and why it appears with such frequency, particularly in church buildings, has long been elusive. The Green Man is very much his own man, with a precise meaning and origin; he is one who
