Iconography at Ickleton illuminates the passing of the hours

Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire showing cantilevered arm on spire holding bell

And so with summer comes Zephyrus soothing warm
from the west as I on Gringolet to Ickleton go
In Cambridgeshire, calming as I carve my way
through Essex easily on my errand searching.
A singular spire with suspended bell sounds
And later windows let light within
On earlier ecstasy lost till that empty day
Forty years ago when fire freed paintings
From a plastered prison put there by puritans
To save the soul and salvage it from popery.
But truth will trick out of any tainted cage
And here on walls full thick are wonders for the wayfarer:
The last supper seating saints on bounteous board,
The betrayal where brutally He was brought down;
Andrew sainted on a saltire steady, the martyrdom
of Peter depicted perfectly and St Laurence too;
Our Lord in flagellation not fearing for his fate
and then with cross our Christ cries in crucifixion.

The astonishing doom painting at Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire. Most of the painting has long since disappeared but a particular feature of this image is a bare-breasted Mary (left) – a sign of supplication.

But raise your eyes now to that Chancel rich and rare:
A doom painting dominates but delights
For here is Mary bare-breasted in blatant supplication –
Find this in other church, a challenge to chasten
All but the most patient of travellers in our land;

A church here do not miss –
Walls and features grand.
There are few here such as this
That really come to hand.

 

The astonishing doom painting at Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire. Most of the painting has long since disappeared but a particular feature of this image is a bare-breasted Mary (left) – a sign of supplication.

Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire showing cantilevered arm on spire holding bell

View towards the chancel at Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, showing wall paintings on the left and the doom painting above the chancel arch

Fourteenth Century painted font cover at Ickleton church, Cambridgeshire

North side of Ickleton church, Cambridgeshire, showing cantilevered arm on spire holding bell. The spire dates from the middle ages, the sanctus bell (of which there were once two) is dated to the 15th/16th Centuries

Eleventh Century West doorway, Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire

Main doorway of Ickleton church, Cambridgeshire, barely hints at what lies inside

Interior view, Ickleton, Cambridgeshire showing Norman cushioned pillars, painted arches and wall paintings beyound

A view towards the wall paintings at Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire

Majestic bench end at Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire, showing St Michael. Nearly all the other bench ends at the church were removed in puritan times under the actions of William Dowsing in 1644, leaving the lower section only. There were once 60 of which fewer than 10 remain and this is the only one which is original and unrestored.

In 1979, an arsonist set fire to Ickleton church, destroying most of the roof. This is the only section of the original roof to remain. The fire had one major benefit – restoration work uncovered the fabulous wall paintings shown in other images.

One of the bench ends from Ickleton Church, Cambridgeshire. Sadly this bench had its decorative head chopped off in the 17th Century – along with over 50 others in the church.

This view, showing the view down the church, shows the simple 11th Century cushioned pillars, the wall paintings (right) and the 14th Century font cover beyond

A close up view of the wall paintings. The betrayal of Christ (top left); the flagellation of Christ (centre); Christ carrying the cross (top right, next to window); the martyrdom of St Andrew (bottom left); the martyrdom of St Lawrence (bottom right)