Art Alive at All Saints Church King’s Lynn – Artists and Angels

Art Alive in Churches, co-ordinated by the Diocese of Norwich, celebrates the rich cultural history in Norfolk’s medieval churches. This year’s exhibition, Artists and Angels, focussing on the painting and carving of angels, combining medieval art with modern practice, will be at All Saints Church, Hillington Square, King’s Lynn PE30 5HF from Monday, July 16 to Sunday, July 22, open daily 10am to 4pm. David Holgate, Norwich-based sculptor and stone carver will be running workshops on Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22.


The Artists and Angels exhibition features images of angels from Norfolk’s medieval churches photographed by Paul Hurst, along with historical interpretation from Professor Sandy Heslop, Dr Spike Bucklow and others.

Churches to visit in west Norfolk with particularly good examples of angels:

 King’s Lynn Minster, angels on chancel screen, open daily dawn to dusk, http://www.stmargaretskingslynn.org.uk/.

 St Nicholas Chapel, St Ann’s Street, King’s Lynn (Churches Conservation Trust), angels in the nave roof, open Tuesday and Saturday until November, http://www.stnicholaskingslynn.org.uk/.

 St Peter &; St Paul Swaffham PE37 7AB, angels in nave roof, open daily 9am to 4pm.

 All Saints, Necton PE37 8HE, angels in nave roof, open daily, http://www.nectonallsaints.co.uk/.

 St Michael Great Cressingham, IP25 6NH, angels in nave roof, http://www.greatcressingham.churchnorfolk.com/.

 St Clement Outwell PE14 8RQ (Diocese of Ely), important figures in nave roof, www.achurchnearyou.com/outwell-st-clement. St Clement’s Outwell is of particular interest as work is beginning to determine whether the figures are Burgundian and of vices and virtues.

 St Peter Upwell PE14 9AA (Diocese of Ely), angels on north side of nave, www.ely.anglican.org/parishes/upwell.

All Saints Church King’s Lynn http://www.allsaintskingslynn.org.uk/ - the parish of All Saints', South Lynn, is mentioned in Domesday Book, which indicates a Saxon church. The church was largely rebuilt in the 14th century, although the large transepts date from the 13th century. The nave has the original massive tie beams and queen posts of the medieval church, together with other medieval architectural features. All Saints has an Anchorhold on the south side of the chancel, which housed an Anchoress, from the 12th until the 16th century.

Art Alive in Churches 2012 is supported by the Town Close and Geoffrey Watling Charitable Trusts, Norfolk County Council, the Diocese of Norwich and the Bishop of Norwich’s Anne French Trust.

Jennie Hawks, Historic Places of Worship Support Officer, Diocese of Norwich said: “In medieval times the North Sea and English Channel were major highways for both commerce and art and crafts. Norfolk’s great medieval churches benefited from the work of visiting artists from Burgundy and Flanders as well as local craftsmen. We are very lucky in Norfolk that many examples of this craftsmanship survived the iconoclasm of the Reformation, post-Reformation and Civil War. Art Alive in Churches celebrates this rich legacy and brings it up to date with demonstrations from some of the county’s finest contemporary artists.”

For more information about Art Alive in Norfolk Churches see http://www.norfolkopenchurches.com/.

Photograph - Great Cressingham Church, credit Paul Hurst