Walsoken, Norfolk - All Saints: The roof design is one of short hammerbeams, set close to the rafters, and terminating in small angel finials, as here. This tends to suggest a date in the second half of the C15th. The paint on the angel (and perhaps even the figure itself?) seems likely to be a Victorian restoration as is the snake-like bracket beneath the angel.
West Walton, Norfolk - St Mary: A wonderful roof in which arch-braced tie-beams alternate with hammerbeams, the hammers carved into angels, each of which carries a shield. Images of Christ's Passion are shown on all the angels' shields, save two, which bear the arms of the Jermyn family of Suffolk, suggesting that they may have endowed or been major contributors towards the roof. Given the pattern of the roof (full sized angels acting as hammers), a date in the first half of the C15th seems likely. The roof itself has clearly been cut down to fit the church - note how the wall posts have been sawn off to fit the spaces between the intersections of the clearstorey arches. The roof may therefore either have been made for another church, or manufactured offsite (most roofs were) and then cut to fit.
West Walton, Norfolk - St Mary: A hammerbeam angel carries a shield depicting Judas betraying Christ with a kiss.
West Walton, Norfolk - St Mary: Another of the hammerbeam angels holds a shield bearing the arms of the Jermyn family of Suffolk and Norfolk (impaled with those of another family), who were probably sponsors of the roof. The carver has a very distinctive hand. Note the heavily lidded eyes and the incised circle of the iris, apparently done using a compass-like tool. The same technique is used for detailing on the angel's tunic.
West Walton, Norfolk - St Mary: A section of the nave roof, showing the alternation of arch-braced tie-beams and angel hammerbeams. The wall posts (the wooden verticals which project down the wall to transmit the weight of the roof lower down the building and so reduce outwards thrust) have been sawn off to make the roof fit the space. The clearstorey wall leans outwards probably because of this, and the purlins (the horizontal beams connecting the rafters) have shifted alarmingly out of line.
Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk - St Mary Magdalene: A section of the roof showing the structure of tie-beams with queen posts (the two vertical posts rising to connect with the rafters) alternating with short hammerbeams, decorated with carved angels.
Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk - St Mary Magdalene: An angel on a hammerbeam, clad in a suit of feathers (like a medieval actor in a pageant) carries a scroll.
Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk - St Mary Magdalene: A close-up of another hammerbeam angel. The pine cone-like ringlets of the hair are very distinctive.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: The angel roof, facing west, towards the organ and the tower arch. Incense smoke is caught in the shafts of sunlight from the clearstorey windows. The roof is a wonderful single hammerbeam construction, dating from ca. 1445, one of the finest angel roofs in Norfolk.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: The angel roof, facing east, towards the gilded C20th rood (which is the work of Sir Ninian Comper). Note the exquisitely carved floral roof bosses.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: A section of the hammerbeam roof, showing the angel hammerbeams more clearly. The roof, which dates from around 1445, underwent restoration early in the C20th.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: A hammerbeam angel raises its hand in blessing or salutation. The angel's wings appear to have been restored.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: One of the hammerbeam angels, from ca. 1445, flanked by smaller angels on and along the wall plate. The quality of carving, structural carpentry and the level of detail in this roof is outstanding; this would have been a very expensive construction.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: Another of the C15th hammerbeam angels raises its hands in blessing.
Wymondham, Norfolk - Wymondham Abbey: A hammerbeam angel caught in sunlight and incense.