Blythburgh - the story of the blanket

The first blanket in my East Anglian Quintet is called Blythburgh. The design pays homage to the exquisite medieval church at Blythburgh in east Suffolk, and in particular to its wonderful much-worn and much-patched medieval floor.

Situated on the River Blyth, and known as ‘The Cathedral of the Marshes’, Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh is a perfect example of a Suffolk wool church. During the middle ages, East Anglia developed a very lucrative trade based on the production and export of the finest white wool. Rich sheep farmers and wool merchants demonstrated their wealth through huge donations to the church which are reflected in the architectural splendour of the medieval wool churches.

Below here you see a view up the nave of Holy Trinity Church – the beautiful clearstory windows above the carved stone pillars flooding the space with light.

The painted wooden ceiling of the church boasts a wonderful flock of wooden angels. The restoration has been carefully executed, with any new wooden elements left unpainted to differentiate them from the original timbers.

The floor is a glorious patchwork of antique and much-cracked quarry tiles and brick. I love the rather humble materials and the sense of all the feet that have walked over it.

My palette draws very much on these tones – soft chalky neutrals and warm pinks mixed with rust and terracotta.

Despite its grandeur, there is something wonderfully homely about the church. Perhaps it is the worn familiarity of the materials, or their soft faded colours. I love this giant slipware decorated ceramic jug – bringing a welcoming sense of kitchen domesticity to the church.

Just to the north of the church is the River Blyth, heading eastwards towards the sea. If you follow the river a little further downstream, you come to the little coastal village of Walberswick – the inspiration behind the second blanket in my East Anglian Quintet.

To view the Blythburgh blanket in my online store please see here.