So there I was in Norfolk for a fairly brief visit when on the way homewards the designated driver for the day said 'Do you want to go and see a really interesting church?'; now what you need to understand is that these are not words that are expected to be heard in my family so that they were even said made the reason to say no redundant.
The church of St Michael the Archangel in Booton is also known as the Cathedral of the fields as it looks like a small cathedral and, well, there is not much around it other than fields. It is a little outside the main village and it suddenly appears around a corner. It is just rude not to stop and explore. It is no longer used as a church though when we were there some people were 'champing' in it. Champing is camping in a church, it is a thing. In the hot days we have had recently camping in a cool church seems very reasonable.
though I am not so sure about sleeping with bats and dead bodies..... anyhoo....
The church itself is a wonder. It was designed by the Rev ~Whitwell Elwin, a descendant of Pocohontas. Apparently he was not a trained architect, but this clearly did not stop him. It is fabulously gothic and borrows various features from several other churches.
There is a lot of intricate detail.
superbly offset by the clear blue sky whilst we were there.
It is not that big for a church, but also not that small.
and St Michael watches.
The stained glass in the church was also designed by the Rev Elwin and is very beautiful.
The roof is home to these beautifully carved angels, carved by James Minns who also carved the bulls head that is still the 'logo' for Colmans Mustard. The faces of the angels are apparently based on the 'female friends' of the Reverend. Read into that what you will! One feels one would like to know more about the Reverend Elwin.
and before you all grumble and say 'but this is a gardening blog not a church blog': a) my blog my rules and b) here are some very fine acanthus growing at the gates of the adjoining rectory which had another famous resident, it was the childhood home of Stephen Fry.
and we drove back through Great Wichingham and the home of the late Bernard Matthews and his turkey empire. As we continued our journey I decided that I should spend more time in Norfolk, I have not stayed there for more than a night or so for many years now ( after staying there too often as a child). There are many great gardens to visit in Norfolk and I should sort myself out and do so.
