statue

The clunch stone statue of Saint Christopher is loaned to Norwich Castle Museum by the Parish Church of St Clement in Terrington St Clement, the largest village in Norfolk. The church is known as the 'Cathedral of the Marshland', for the settlement sits on drained wetlands. This is crafted from clunch stone, a traditional material which is softer than most limestone and so not often used for structures, but more forgiving for intricate carvings such as seen here.

The figure of Saint Christopher is shown standing with water gathered around his ankles and another figure on his shoulder, the Christ child. Unfortunately, the head of this figure is missing, but it is possible to recognise the depiction of Christ due to possibly the most famous story of Saint Christopher. Saint Christopher offered aid to those crossing a treacherous river, and on one occasion a child he was carrying seemed as heavy as lead. This caused Saint Christopher great difficulty in crossing, but when he and the child safely reached the other side of the river the child revealed himself to be Christ. His heaviness was due to Saint Christopher taking for himself the burden of not only the whole world but He who made it, and his son Christ the Lord.