Amongst all the early graffiti that we record the most common single type of inscription are those known as 'apotropaic markings' - sometimes called 'ritual protection marks', or as they are still called in parts of Europe, 'holy signs'.
A thread. These are also sometimes misreferred to as 'Witch marks'. A term that was made up by a journalist in very recent decades. A true 'witch mark' is the mark found on a witch's body that signified his/her pact with the devil.

Binham priory in north Norfolk is one of the most complete set of monastic ruins to be found anywhere in England - and it is certainly one of the most important sites in relation to the architectural history of medieval England.
A thread. The priory was founded as a Benedictine monastery in 1091, by the nephew of William the Conqueror - Peter de Valoines. And to quote English Heritage 'many of its priors were unscrupulous and the history of the priory is one of almost continuous scandal'. Nice!

If anyone was wondering about the Tudor ship with a silly name, it was this one. The 'Grand Mistress'. Built in the last years of the reign of Henry VIII as a 'galleas' - a hybrid between oars and sail power designed as a counter measure the French galleys. The Grand Mistress was built here - at @SmallhytheNT
Now a rather sedate National Trust property, it was once a major player in the medieval and Tudor shipbuilding industry. The Grand Mistress was one of their last major royal contracts in 1544/5.

Spent part of the week hunting down records of Tudor ships with silly names, and came to realise just how much ship graffiti I've recorded over the years.
So a brief chronology of crap, & not so crap, ship graffiti through the ages. This is probably one of the earliest from a secure context (leaving aside the spurious 'viking' example from Stow Minster).
Mid-C14th from Blackfriars Barn undercroft in Winchelsea.
'Possibly' created to commemorate the 'Battle of Winchelsea' in 1350.
Told you some were crap.

In north-west Norfolk there is a very well known, and rather fantastic, group of C12th fonts. All stunning masterpieces, and sometimes suggested to have come from the same workshop.
Unlikely.
A short thread. No one can really agree how many fonts are in the group, as some of the simpler examples, such as this at Bagthorpe, are often overlooked.

Alphamstone church, Essex.
The church is unusual, reputedly built on a Bronze Age burial mound, with sarsens built in to the wall - but nowhere near as weird as some of the vicars and rectors throughout history.
A short thread. My favourite has to be Nicholas le Grice, the Tudor vicar who recorded all his good works on the walls in graffiti.
'This chancel was repaired with new timber work by me Nicholas le Gryce, Parson, Anno 1578'

Salle church, Norfolk.
A church revered by many as one of the finest late medieval examples in England, and where even the mason's marks are things of beauty. Salle church is also unusual in having surviving external graffiti.
'James A Dunnett & John Dunnett 1754'
Making their mark for all to see.

Remember back when we were all allowed out, and could visit places?
Nope. Me neither...
So I thought we could all take a virtual trip to look at some medieval wonders.
But as I'm setting the bar low, and am biased, I thought we'd go to Kings Lynn.
A short thread. For those of you who don't know, Kings Lynn is stuck out in the east of England, and has been a major port since at least the Middle Ages.
Today it's sandwiched between the Fens, the Wash, and Norfolk.
It gets a bit overlooked obviously...

A short #Thread about markings on historical buildings.

With Halloween fast approaching my inbox begins to fill up with people sending me pictures of strange markings - wanting to know whether they have found 'witch marks'. 1/11 Firstly, 'Witch marks' isn't a term we use these days. It was invented by a journalist only a few decades ago & is just plain wrong. The marks have nothing to do with witches - but were thought to deter evil, or just be plain 'lucky'. 2/11