Medieval Angel Roofs

The angel roofs of east anglia.

Medieval angel roofs.

Famously the nave and chancel roofs were painted by mildred holland the wife of the rector in the style of the 15th century over a period of seven years starting in 1859. Angel roofs can be found almost anywhere in britain but are most common in east anglia. Between 1395 and about 1530 several hundred angel roofs were built in england most of them during the 1400s a century of usurpation conquest and loss in france the wars of the roses and the birth of the tudor dynasty. Gissing recently launched an angel trail which you can see here.

An angel roof is a rather generic term applied to medieval and later timber roofs decorated with large projecting figures of carved wooden angels. Between 1395 and about 1530 several hundred angel roofs were built in england mostly during the 1400s a century of usurpation conquest and then loss in france the wars of the roses and the birth of the tudor dynasty perhaps people were looking for ispiration. Around florence glimpses of these strange old testament angels are to be found in the city s medieval art. Other furnishings were either painted by her or are memorials to her.

The church is a fine example of east anglian late medieval work. It is well documented that by the 1400s the prime era of angel roof building in english churches east anglia was rich compared to most of the rest of britain see for example mark bailey s medieval suffolk an economic and social history 1200 1500. Such figures are often colourfully painted and carved with very fine detail. The history origins and context of angel roofs michael rimmer 2012 westminster hall medieval hammer beam roof structure in 1399 richard ii commissioned a hammer beam roof to arch across the entire span of westminster hall.

One of the finest places to admire angel roofs is norwich which lies about 100 miles northeast of london. They occur almost exclusively in churches and predominantly in east anglia particularly in the counties of norfolk and suffolk. Some of the oldest angels in florence are represented in a mosaic showing the hierarchy of angels inside the dome of the baptistry of san giovanni executed between 1225 and circa 1310. St mary s church in gissing near the suffolk border features one of only four double hammer beam roofs in norfolk.

Of these medieval angel roofs over 170 survive this total includes some that have been defaced or where the angels have been removed. It is the largest medieval timber roof in northern europe with a span of 69 feet.