examples of early graffiti. Although the softness of the piers has meant that many are no longer legible, the sheer number of textual inscriptions and images is remarkable. Names, prayers, faces, hands, Latin cryptograms, multiple daisy-wheels and swastika pelta appear from behind the flaking lime-wash, making it one of the greatest concentrations of material yet surveyed. However, the quantity of graffiti discovered at Litcham, although remarkable, is by no means unique. Further north, the churches of the Glaven ports
have been extensively surveyed by John Peake, who has shown that they contain a remarkable amount of pre-Reformation graffiti. In particular, the magnificent church of St Nicholas at Blakeney has proved to be a veritable treasure trove of inscriptions. Merchants marks, illuminated capitals, prayers and symbols have all been identified within its structure. However, themost notable instances of pre-Reformation graffiti at Blakeneymust be the large amount of “ship” graffiti found in the nave. To date, John Peake has discovered more than
30 individual ship images within this elaborate structure. The images vary greatly in quality and the manner in which they are depicted. Some are etched deep into the stonework,making themrelatively easy to identify, whilst others are little more than scratches upon the surface that appear and disappear as the angle of the light shifts through the day. Most appear to depict smaller vessels, often single-masted, whilst a number clearly show larger andmore elaborate vessels. A small number of these larger images are highly detailed, and show vessels of two or three masts, complete with rigging, lines and pennants. Many are show with sails furled, as though already safe in harbour, whilst a few are shown with full canvas spread as though they still sailed across the North Sea. Indeed, one particularly fine example discovered in nearbyWiveton church appears to show a highly detailed depiction of a late 16th-century galleon of three masts, complete with decorated hull, rigging and mast-head pennants.
THE exact date at which many of these images were created is difficult to pinpoint with accuracy. The smaller vessels in particular, which appear to depict fairly generic local fishing craft, could well have been created at any point between the 14th and 17th centuries. However, despite the dating difficulties, enough readily identifiable examples have been recorded that make it possible to begin to analyse the physical distribution of the images within the building itself. Themost immediately striking feature of the distribution of the graffiti is that it is not spread evenly throughout the building. In all recorded instances the ship graffiti is only to be found on the southern side of the nave and, in particular, upon the piers of the south arcade. The ship graffiti that is found in the south arcade
also appears to show specific patterns and bias within its own distribution. The piers at the western end of the nave have few identifiable examples, with the westernmost pier having only two or three recorded images. However, as each pier was examined it became clear that the intensity of the
30 Cornerstone, Vol 32, No 2 2011
Above, an incomplete or unfinished daisy wheel inscription at All Saints, Litcham (left and below). Such geometric patterns are commonly found in churches, when you look, and are believed to have religious associations
SIMON BARBER
SIMON BARBER
NMGS
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