Glory on High

Among the greatest wonders of medieval craftsmanship, angel roofs are predominantly an East Anglian phenomenon. Louise Hoffman discovers some of the best examples in Norfolk churches

Carved angel roofs of Norfolk by Louise Hoffman

STAND anywhere in the largely flat county of Norfolk – or, indeed, its rather more undulating city of Norwich – and with a 360-degree turn you’ll likely be able to spot at least three towers or spires. In fact, it’s said to have the greatest concentration of medieval churches in the world – more than 650 in all.

From the oldest, with round Saxon towers, to the awe-inspiring edifices of the richest parishes and the nowsolitary memorials to vanished villages, these churches have stood the test of time and have been used and admired by generations of locals and visitors alike.

But it’s not only the number of church buildings that Norfolk is known for; it’s also their beautifully decorated interiors. And one particular feature stands out (quite literally) above the rest: the angel roof.

Cast your eyes up toward the heavens, and in many of the county’s historic churches you’ll find an angelic host gazing down upon you. Exquisitely carved between the late 14th and early 16th centuries, these roofs, decorated with intricate wooden angels, demonstrate medieval craftsmanship at its finest.

Mercifully, they survived the Reformation largely unscathed, due to their lofty position, and there are approximately 170 medieval examples in England and Wales today. This makes roof angels “the largest surviving body of major English medieval wood sculpture”, according to Michael Rimmer, author of The Angel Roofs of East Anglia: Unseen Masterpieces of the Middle Ages, and therefore they provide us with a fascinating insight into the glory of the pre-Reformation church interior, before the stained glass, wall paintings and statues were destroyed.

No description of how these roofs were constructed survives, but they were likely to have been carved at ground level then raised up, along with the shaped beams and rafters, to be fitted together in position. Usually carved from oak, and sometimes chestnut, they form decorative devices to adorn the structural beams, whilst delivering their divine messages to the worshipping parishioners below.

A whopping 70 per cent of our surviving angel roofs are located in East Anglia. Why? Well, there are a few possible theories.

Some say that the region’s vast skies provided the inspiration, while others point to its expertise in carving and large-scale constructional carpentry, as well as to the prosperity of the area, which had grown rich from the wool trade and cloth industry during the Middle Ages. Norwich was, in fact, the second city of England for much of the period.

But, Michael Rimmer argues, it can also be no coincidence that, shortly after creating England’s first-known angel roof at Westminster Hall, royal carpenter Hugh Herland was appointed to the construction project for a new harbour in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Here he mingled with both skilled local craftsmen, spreading his ideas and expertise, and the class of wealthy merchants who would go on to fund such roofs in East Anglia.

You’ll find just over a quarter of the country’s surviving angel roofs in Norfolk. Here are some of the best: