North Cove

St Botolph, North Cove

I arrived at North Cove from Barnby, a mile further up the awful A146. St Botolph has the happier situation, the road bypassing the village now; but at one time it went right past the churchyard. The wide former road ends just to the east of the church, but a footpath will carry you on to Barnby, and to St John the Baptist there. I recommend you to visit North Cove first, however, since the keyholder is the same for both; but, on my visit, was only listed here.

North Cove is so-named, apparently, to distinguish it from South Cove. But South Cove is miles away, and takes its name from the fact that it is a mile south of Covehithe. No, I think that this place was simply Cove before the roads and railways came - and the railways have gone, now.

Neat thatch, decorated windows, cute tower - so, what's inside?

The eccentric red-brick tower is rather pleasing beside the solid Norman nave, which is betrayed by the splendid south doorway. Decorated windows punctuate the walls, but they seem a little awkward, as if they didn't want to be quite so far apart - a bit like the perpendicular windows at Wissett, away to the south. The churchyard is neatly trimmed, in the municipal fashion, which rarely looks good.

How delightful, to enter a previously unvisited church! What on earth might we find inside? It may be, this far north, that it has escaped the kind of Victorian restoration that has blighted so many churches around Halesworth and Eye. Perhaps there will be an interesting and unique feature, like the banner-stave locker door at nearby Barnby. Or, perhaps, it will all end in disappointment; a deadly affair of whitewash, pitchpine benches, and off-the-peg Minton tiles.

But, of course, I'm teasing you. For here, on the walls of the lengthy chancel, we will find (did you guess?) some of the finest surviving medieval wall-paintings in Suffolk. They are remarkable for their quality, their condition and their extent. "Aha!", I hear you exclaim, as you cross-refer to your Cautley and your Pevsner; "They were all repainted by the Victorians!" Not so fast. It is certainly true that the heavy handed Victorians went over them in oil, thickening lines, filling in gaps, and generally making them more medieval than they were already. But, in the 1990s, this Victorian restoration was painstakingly removed. Also removed was dirt, plaster and later wall-texts, to reveal something that stuns the imagination and delights the heart.

Mary and Jesus flank God the Father, above the Doom.

There are three basic elements. On the north and south walls is the story of the Passion of Christ. Beside this, a mighty Doom; God oversees the separation of sinners and virtuous. Interleaved throughout, the vines which are the symbol of St Botolph. All are in a gorgeous naive style, and the overwhelming colours are red and yellow. You can link to a whole page of photographs of these paintings.

There is a fourth, mysterious scene, to the west of the north wall. A figure in a coffin sits and watches it all. The 1990s restoration of the scroll in the figure's hands reveals it as the donor of this extraordinary work.

Christ is nailed to the cross. For more wall-painting pictures, click here.

They almost certainly date from when the chancel was new, in the 13th century. They were painted over at the Reformation in the 16th century, evangelical texts were applied over this in the 17th century, and they were uncovered by the well-meaning Victorians, who revealed and nearly ruined them. And today, they are restored to their original vibrancy.

You would travel to the V&A in London if they were there, and pay good money to see them. So why not come here and see them in situ, and give your money to these good people instead?

A visit here is useful before a visit to Wissington, on the Essex border, to help you understand the complexity of the wall-paintings there.

What of the rest of the church? The fixings for the Lenten veil would be the star attraction in many a church, and the 17th century scriptural roundels, one over part of the wall-paintings, are worth more than a passing glance. But you came here for the paintings. And, you leave, buoyed up with all you've seen; not forgetting to ask the kind lady to unlock Barnby for you first.

Please also see the entry for this church at Aidan Semmens' Sylly Suffolk.

St Botolph, North Cove, is on the A146 Beccles to Lowestoft Road. It is usually locked, but a friendly keyholder lives nearby.