Simon Knott
@simoninsuffolk.bsky.social
'dust in the air suspended,
marks the place where a story ended'
Find me at http://www.simonknott.co.uk
Also available on X/Twitter. All photos mine.
marks the place where a story ended'
Find me at http://www.simonknott.co.uk
Also available on X/Twitter. All photos mine.
3/3 A large ship making its way up the Orwell towards the Port of Ipswich, either to the Cliff Quay grain terminal, one of the largest in the UK, or the West Bank terminal. Ipswich also has the River Gipping, a different stage of the same river. The Orwell is tidal, the Gipping isn't.
January 21, 2026 at 8:29 PM
3/3 A large ship making its way up the Orwell towards the Port of Ipswich, either to the Cliff Quay grain terminal, one of the largest in the UK, or the West Bank terminal. Ipswich also has the River Gipping, a different stage of the same river. The Orwell is tidal, the Gipping isn't.
2/3 The Orwell widens beyond the bridge, its banks becoming wide mud flats explored by wading birds at low tide, leaving a narrow channel in the middle for larger vessels to reach Ipswich and its port industry. Soon, it will be joined by the Stour, and empty into the North Sea.
January 21, 2026 at 8:24 PM
2/3 The Orwell widens beyond the bridge, its banks becoming wide mud flats explored by wading birds at low tide, leaving a narrow channel in the middle for larger vessels to reach Ipswich and its port industry. Soon, it will be joined by the Stour, and empty into the North Sea.
The River Orwell leaves Ipswich under the Orwell Bridge, heading toward the sea. The writer Eric Blair chose its name as his pen name, becoming famous as George Orwell. He died #OTD 21 January 1950. His parents lived at Southwold in Suffolk, and he wrote some of his books there. 1/2
January 21, 2026 at 8:18 PM
The River Orwell leaves Ipswich under the Orwell Bridge, heading toward the sea. The writer Eric Blair chose its name as his pen name, becoming famous as George Orwell. He died #OTD 21 January 1950. His parents lived at Southwold in Suffolk, and he wrote some of his books there. 1/2
A curiosity at Ranworth, Norfolk. At some point not long after the screen was painted, the seated figure of St Agnes was clumsily converted into St John the Baptist. Her lamb was given a flagstaff, her right arm altered, her hair became a beard.
Ranworth: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/ranworth/ran...
Ranworth: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/ranworth/ran...
January 21, 2026 at 8:20 AM
A curiosity at Ranworth, Norfolk. At some point not long after the screen was painted, the seated figure of St Agnes was clumsily converted into St John the Baptist. Her lamb was given a flagstaff, her right arm altered, her hair became a beard.
Ranworth: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/ranworth/ran...
Ranworth: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/ranworth/ran...
St Agnes on the south (female) side of the screen at Westhall, Suffolk. The lamb at her feet has rather more grace and poise than he does at Cawston! St Sitha and St Brigid flank her. The painting is perhaps half a century before the north (male) side.
More: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Westhall.htm
More: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Westhall.htm
January 21, 2026 at 8:07 AM
St Agnes on the south (female) side of the screen at Westhall, Suffolk. The lamb at her feet has rather more grace and poise than he does at Cawston! St Sitha and St Brigid flank her. The painting is perhaps half a century before the north (male) side.
More: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Westhall.htm
More: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Westhall.htm
3/3 The lamb of St Agnes on the 15th Century screen at Cawston, Norfolk is curiously ungainly, even cat-like. Surprising perhaps, on a screen which is generally of high quality, in the only medieval church in East Anglia dedicated to her.
Cawston: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/cawston/caws...
Cawston: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/cawston/caws...
January 21, 2026 at 7:53 AM
3/3 The lamb of St Agnes on the 15th Century screen at Cawston, Norfolk is curiously ungainly, even cat-like. Surprising perhaps, on a screen which is generally of high quality, in the only medieval church in East Anglia dedicated to her.
Cawston: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/cawston/caws...
Cawston: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/cawston/caws...
2/3 Her lamb reaching up and looking at her adoringly is almost all that survives of St Agnes on the 15th Century screen at Beeston-next-Mileham, Norfolk.
Beeston-next-Mileham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/beeston/bees...
Beeston-next-Mileham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/beeston/bees...
January 21, 2026 at 7:48 AM
2/3 Her lamb reaching up and looking at her adoringly is almost all that survives of St Agnes on the 15th Century screen at Beeston-next-Mileham, Norfolk.
Beeston-next-Mileham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/beeston/bees...
Beeston-next-Mileham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/beeston/bees...
A detail of St Agnes's lamb in 15th Century glass at Plumstead, Norfolk, one of a number of small parishes just inland from the north Norfolk coast, and not to be confused with Great and Little Plumstead in Norwich suburbia.
Plumstead: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/plumstead/pl...
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Plumstead: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/plumstead/pl...
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January 21, 2026 at 7:44 AM
A detail of St Agnes's lamb in 15th Century glass at Plumstead, Norfolk, one of a number of small parishes just inland from the north Norfolk coast, and not to be confused with Great and Little Plumstead in Norwich suburbia.
Plumstead: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/plumstead/pl...
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Plumstead: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/plumstead/pl...
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3/3 The crowning of St Agnes in heaven by Alex Booker for Cox, Sons & Buckley, c1900 at Booton, Norfolk. Today's the feast of St Agnes.
Booton: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/booton/booto...
Booton: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/booton/booto...
January 21, 2026 at 7:34 AM
3/3 The crowning of St Agnes in heaven by Alex Booker for Cox, Sons & Buckley, c1900 at Booton, Norfolk. Today's the feast of St Agnes.
Booton: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/booton/booto...
Booton: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/booton/booto...
2/3 St Agnes in the middle between St Mary Magdelene and the Blessed Virgin, a detail of FC Eden's great 1925 east window of Christ in Majesty with the saints at Marks Tey, Essex.
Marks Tey: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...
Marks Tey: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...
January 21, 2026 at 7:24 AM
2/3 St Agnes in the middle between St Mary Magdelene and the Blessed Virgin, a detail of FC Eden's great 1925 east window of Christ in Majesty with the saints at Marks Tey, Essex.
Marks Tey: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...
Marks Tey: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...
Some 20th Century images of St Agnes on her feast. Firstly, by Christopher Powell, 1932 at Dersingham, Norfolk.
Dersingham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/dersingham/d...
Dersingham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/dersingham/d...
January 21, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Some 20th Century images of St Agnes on her feast. Firstly, by Christopher Powell, 1932 at Dersingham, Norfolk.
Dersingham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/dersingham/d...
Dersingham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/dersingham/d...
3/3 St Agnes on the 15th Century rood screen at Eye, Suffolk. As with other figures on the screen, her face has been badly restored. Nevertheless, today is her feast.
Eye: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/eye.htm
Eye: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/eye.htm
January 21, 2026 at 7:15 AM
3/3 St Agnes on the 15th Century rood screen at Eye, Suffolk. As with other figures on the screen, her face has been badly restored. Nevertheless, today is her feast.
Eye: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/eye.htm
Eye: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/eye.htm
2/3 St Agnes with sword and lamb at Sandringham, Norfolk, one of fourteen late medieval figures restored and installed by Kempe & Co in the 1920s.
Sandringham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/sandringham/...
Sandringham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/sandringham/...
January 21, 2026 at 6:47 AM
2/3 St Agnes with sword and lamb at Sandringham, Norfolk, one of fourteen late medieval figures restored and installed by Kempe & Co in the 1920s.
Sandringham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/sandringham/...
Sandringham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/sandringham/...
Today's the feast of St Agnes, 3rd Century Roman virgin martyr. Here she is in 15th Century Norwich School glass at Plumstead, Norfolk, with her conventional symbols of a lamb at her feet and a sword or dagger through her chest. She's the patron saint of girls.
January 21, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Today's the feast of St Agnes, 3rd Century Roman virgin martyr. Here she is in 15th Century Norwich School glass at Plumstead, Norfolk, with her conventional symbols of a lamb at her feet and a sword or dagger through her chest. She's the patron saint of girls.
2/2 The reredos at Woodbastwick with the Adoration of the Magi and four Evangelists. The church underwent a sumptuous makeover in the 1870s at the expense of the enthusiastically Anglo-Catholic Cator family of the Hall. Nave and tower were substantially rebuilt and it was entirely refurnished.
January 20, 2026 at 12:00 PM
2/2 The reredos at Woodbastwick with the Adoration of the Magi and four Evangelists. The church underwent a sumptuous makeover in the 1870s at the expense of the enthusiastically Anglo-Catholic Cator family of the Hall. Nave and tower were substantially rebuilt and it was entirely refurnished.
The crown and arrows of St Edmund on a door at Fritton St Edmund, Norfolk. The parish was in Suffolk until 1974, but has always been in the Diocese of Norwich.
January 20, 2026 at 11:50 AM
The crown and arrows of St Edmund on a door at Fritton St Edmund, Norfolk. The parish was in Suffolk until 1974, but has always been in the Diocese of Norwich.
They're easily confused! A good way to tell the difference is that Edmund is always shown crowned, as here in a wall painting at Troston, Suffolk (admittedly, the crown is a little faint!) and usually with archers.
January 20, 2026 at 11:46 AM
They're easily confused! A good way to tell the difference is that Edmund is always shown crowned, as here in a wall painting at Troston, Suffolk (admittedly, the crown is a little faint!) and usually with archers.
3/3 The iconography of St Sebastian and St Edmund are similar, though the former is shown without a crown and almost naked. The enthusiastic Anglo-Catholics of South Creake, Norfolk, gave a crown to St Sebastian and turned him into St Edmund!
South Creake: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/southcreake/...
South Creake: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/southcreake/...
January 20, 2026 at 8:21 AM
3/3 The iconography of St Sebastian and St Edmund are similar, though the former is shown without a crown and almost naked. The enthusiastic Anglo-Catholics of South Creake, Norfolk, gave a crown to St Sebastian and turned him into St Edmund!
South Creake: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/southcreake/...
South Creake: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/southcreake/...
2/3 There were several outbreaks of plague in East Anglia in the early 16th Century, and evidence of devotion to 'plague saints' like St Roch, and St Sebastian here on the font at Colney, Norfolk, the donor kneeling before him.
Colney: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/colney/colne...
Colney: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/colney/colne...
January 20, 2026 at 8:16 AM
2/3 There were several outbreaks of plague in East Anglia in the early 16th Century, and evidence of devotion to 'plague saints' like St Roch, and St Sebastian here on the font at Colney, Norfolk, the donor kneeling before him.
Colney: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/colney/colne...
Colney: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/colney/colne...
Today's the feast of St Sebastian, 3rd Century Roman soldier and martyr. English medieval images of him are rare, but invoked against the plague there was a rising cult here in the early 16th Century. He's on the rood screen at Wellingham, Norfolk:
More: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wellingham/w...
More: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wellingham/w...
January 20, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Today's the feast of St Sebastian, 3rd Century Roman soldier and martyr. English medieval images of him are rare, but invoked against the plague there was a rising cult here in the early 16th Century. He's on the rood screen at Wellingham, Norfolk:
More: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wellingham/w...
More: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wellingham/w...
Today's the feasts of St Fabian and St Sebastian, 3rd Century Roman martyrs. The only church in England dedicated to them both is in the polite Norfolk village of Woodbastwick, better known to many as home to the Woodforde brewery.
Woodbastwick: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/woodbastwick...
Woodbastwick: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/woodbastwick...
January 20, 2026 at 8:05 AM
Today's the feasts of St Fabian and St Sebastian, 3rd Century Roman martyrs. The only church in England dedicated to them both is in the polite Norfolk village of Woodbastwick, better known to many as home to the Woodforde brewery.
Woodbastwick: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/woodbastwick...
Woodbastwick: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/woodbastwick...
I'm off to God's Own County for the week next week. I'll be dotting around a bit, but one place I'm planning to visit is Huddersfield, and I've not been there before. What shouldn't I miss? Architecture, galleries, churches, great views, great pubs, anything like that. Bearing the weather in mind!
January 19, 2026 at 6:48 PM
I'm off to God's Own County for the week next week. I'll be dotting around a bit, but one place I'm planning to visit is Huddersfield, and I've not been there before. What shouldn't I miss? Architecture, galleries, churches, great views, great pubs, anything like that. Bearing the weather in mind!
January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM
2/3: St Nicholas, Chignal Smealey, Essex.
January 19, 2026 at 5:57 PM
2/3: St Nicholas, Chignal Smealey, Essex.
Essex has some unusual two word placenames. As well as neighbouring Steeple Bumpstead, there's Chignal Smealey, Shellow Bowells, Good Easter, Margaret Roding, Willingale Spain, Norton Mandeville and Bardfield Saling, among others.
This is St Peter & St Paul, Shellow Bowells, now a private house:
This is St Peter & St Paul, Shellow Bowells, now a private house:
January 19, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Essex has some unusual two word placenames. As well as neighbouring Steeple Bumpstead, there's Chignal Smealey, Shellow Bowells, Good Easter, Margaret Roding, Willingale Spain, Norton Mandeville and Bardfield Saling, among others.
This is St Peter & St Paul, Shellow Bowells, now a private house:
This is St Peter & St Paul, Shellow Bowells, now a private house: