At the weekend we visited Norton Priory to explore the ruined priory and enjoy their Quince and Apple Weekend. There was an additional reason for me wanting to visit the Priory, or rather my main reason for wanting to visit - their twice life-size medieval statue of St Christopher.
The medieval giant Saint Christopher statue was the inspiration for the author Lucy M Boston. She wrote the book The Children of Green Knowe in which the Saint Christopher statue comes to life. The actual statue inspired Boston, when she lived near the Priory as a child.
The statue of St Christopher was created towards the end of the 14th century and is a rare survival of a religious sculpture from late medieval England. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the sculpture was owned by the Brooke family and stood originally in the outer courtyard of Norton Priory, and later in the garden. When the Brooke family left the site, the statue remained and, in a damaged condition, it was given to National Museums Liverpool in 1964. It has since been restored and is housed in the museum on the site of the priory.A replica was made for the 2009 film adaptation, From Time to Time, which is now located at the manor house in Hemingford Grey, also known as Green Knowe.
It was so lovely to see the statue which inspired the wonderful Green Knowe books.