I was recently able to spend a week in Suffolk on holiday during which time I visited a number of the many fantastic churches there. It was also a pleasure to find almost all of them unlocked during the daytime.
During this period I came across a lot of fine wooden ceilings many of which were decorated with "angelic hosts". Woolpit was very close to where I was staying in Rattlesden and had a fine selection.
I particularly liked the detail in the wings with each feather individually carved, along with the finely carved wooden shield.
The double hammer beam ceiling in this church is thought to have been designed of Jonathan and Thomas Rollesby, who had a workshop at Bacton, Norfolk in 1412. It is thought that this roof dates back to this period and the angel to a similar period making then around 600 years old.
Angels can be found on wall plates, beams, corbels and supporting the timbers and number well over 200 in total.
Woolpit is not hard to miss with its fine buttressed spire and is open during the daytime.
Gorgeous carving
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