Poringland Towers

Poringland, Norfolk, September 2016.

Of All the Days: The Derelict Church of St Wandregesilius, Bixley

Not far south of Norwich, the site of the ruins of the parish church of the tiny hamlet of Bixley nonetheless feels as isolated a spot in East Anglia. Down a dirt track, surrounded by chest-high nettles and weeds, and fields beyond, the church of St Wandregesilius dates back to 1272. In 2004, it was gutted by arson, the fury of the flames still clearly evident today.

The church is notable in its own small way for being the only dedicated to Wandregesilius, the Latinised name for Wandrille, an obscure seventh century monk and hermit. The date of his death, and that of his feast, is, coincidentally, the date I wandered round the ruins of his church: July 22nd.

All Saints: The Hainford 'Old Church'

As always with Norfolk churches, the peerless Norfolk Churches Site gives a good run-down of the history of this little spot (http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hainford/hainfordold.htm). In a nutshell, though, this medieval ruin fell into disuse in the nineteenth century, with the building of a newer parish church closer to the centre of Hainford village. Although the tower is fenced off and overgrown, the graveyard is actually still in use - the newer graves mostly near the yard entrance and still tended to, with the older ones left to the wild. The tower makes for a striking ivy-covered image amidst the flatness of the surrounding fields.

Hollow Tower: The Ruins of St Marys, Kirby Bedon

The remains of the round-towered St Marys, in the quiet parish of Kirby Bedon. Supposedly falling into disuse around 1700, there is another medieval church in the village, still in use today - St Andrews, just across the street.

You can stand inside the tower of this one, which makes a nice change from the usual locked gateway. The birds nesting at the top don't seem too happy when visitors with cameras come calling. Bombarded with squalks and bird droppings, I nevertheless escaped unscathed.

Steps to the Edge of the World

The tower of steps leading to the beach at Happisburgh, where severe coatsal erosion has destroyed many of the cliff-edge paths, roads, and houses.