Rows of 12th century Norman carvings below the eaves of St John the Baptist church, Hawkchurch - a corbel table. Hawkchurch is a few miles north of Lyme Regis, a few less north east of Axminster (and comfortably cycleable from the station). The carvings were moved to their current external site during the extensive Victorian refurbishment of 1862. The originals are fashioned from Salcombe stone (also used for the walls of Exeter Cathedral), Victorian copies are in contrasting Ham Hill stone, the colour of Red Leicester cheese. Those on the south side (the sun side) have fared better than those on the north ('the devil's side'), whose shady prospect has left them subject to weathering, and the accretion of moss and lichen fur. Here are demons and bishops, strange beasts and funny heads, all full of life and character. Their humour, and the smiles they elicit, create a sense of direct connection with our ancestors, bringing their everyday humanity to light. Of course, they were as silly and playful as us.
The worried look
Ham stone cheese beast - with raindrop blur
Differing levels of contentment at the married state
Pig demon
Owl man
Bishop hunched under the weight of his church
Little and big head
Pensive man with RAF moustache
Hungry demon - grrrr
Vacant cat
Northside figures from henceforth - cockatrice head?
Grinning, needle-toothed sharkhead
Birdman - weathered and weary
Red moss moptop
Moss furred mog
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