'Unto us a child is born' Glass by Hugh Powell, 1961 at Little Horkesley, Essex. The church was completely rebuilt after a 500lb German parachute mine exploded within its walls. Bits of the bells were found three miles away in Suffolk. More: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...

For when you need just that little bit more support. A late medieval misericord seat at Cawston, Norfolk for #Woodensday. More about Cawston: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/cawston/caws...

Fish swim around the feet and staff of St Christopher in a 15th Century wall painting at Molesworth, Cambridgeshire. #WednesdayWallPaintings

'The Light of the World' by William Holman Hunt, 1854, photographed in Manchester City Art Gallery. The painting that launched a hugely popular Victorian print and dozens of church windows.

'Where is he that is born king of the Jews?' Glass by Margaret Edith Rope, 1929 at Molesworth, Cambridgeshire. Herod sends the Magi off to Bethlehem, having cunningly planned their return so he knows where to find and kill the child (spoiler: they won't come back).

Just noting in passing that Syd Barrett would have been 80 today. We went to the same school (twice), though of course he was much older than me. He was born in well-to-do south Cambridge, I grew up on an estate on the east side of the city, but he was still 'one of our own'.

Asleep together in the same bed after adoring the Christchild, the three Magi are warned by an angel not to return to Herod. A C13 wallpainting at Wissington, Suffolk. A similar capital in Autun Cathedral, France, is roughly contemporary. Wissington: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/wissington.htm

Gaspar, Balthasar and Melchior, the Three Kings of Cologne with their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, on the chapel dedicated to them in Colston Street, Bristol. The sculptures are by Ernest Pascoe, 1960s, and are set in niches from the 1860s rebuilding.

The Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne, Colston Street, Bristol. It was built in 1504 as the chapel for the almshouses given by John Foster some twenty years earlier. It was largely rebuilt in the 1860s. 1/2

On this, the feast of the Epiphany, the three Magi present their gifts in glass by Hugh Powell, 1961 at Little Horkesley, Essex. Little Horkesley: www.simonknott.co.uk/essexchurche...

The three Magi carry torches as they make their journey towards the Christchild, on the 12th Century font at Fincham, Norfolk. Fincham: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/fincham/finc... 1/2

The Adoration of the Magi by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope at Leiston, Suffolk, 1959. Today's the feast of the Epiphany. Leiston: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/leiston.html

Three kings from the East arrive to worship the Christchild and offer their gifts in 15th Century glass at East Harling, Norfolk. Today's the feast of the Epiphany. East Harling: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/eastharling/...

Today is the feast of the Epiphany. The Magi visit and offer their gifts to the Christchild in a 15th Century alabaster at Long Melford, Suffolk. The midwife Zelomi stands behind Mary, while aged Joseph watches from the foot of the bed. Long Melford: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/Longmelford....

Today's the 12th Day of Christmas, and tonight is Twelfth Night, a time for wassailing and carousing. An angel drummer makes a noise on the 15th Century font at Upton, Norfolk. He's playing knackers, originally naqqāra, a drum type brought back to Europe during the crusades. 1/3

'First peal on these bells in which a lady has taken part, rung to commemorate the safe return of Mr Augustine Courtauld from the Arctic regions' A detail of a peal board at Gestingthorpe, Essex.

More from Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope's 1929 east window at Ickleton, Cambridgeshire. St Mary Magdalene. 1/3

The poet TS Eliot died #OTD 4 January 1965.

'The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us' Delightful glass by Alfred Lemmon, 1949 at Wrangle, Lincs, the Adoration of Wrangle parishioners flanked by St Hugh of Lincoln and St Nicholas. Pevsner thought it 'a painful contrast' with the church's extensive range of C14 and C15 glass. He was wrong.

'Verbum Caro Factum Est' The Annunciation, and words from today's gospel, 'the Word was made Flesh', in glass by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, 1929 at Ickleton, Cambridgeshire. 1/3 #StainedGlassSunday

Away on the coast, another Suffolk church has fragments of birds holding invocatory prayers, similar to those at Great Whelnetham. 'Jhesu help' reads the scroll in a quarry at Herringfleet. Two other medieval fragments look on. Herringfleet: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/herringfleet...

'Sanctus Johannes Evangelista' The eagle of St John in a late medieval roundel at Weybread, Suffolk. Weybread: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/weybread.htm 1/3

'Jhesu merci' An invocation to the name of Jesus on a scroll in a bird's beak. A fragment of what's probably early 16th Century glass at Great Whelnetham, Suffolk. Today's the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. More: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gwhelnetham....

Today's the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, a memorial that's been celebrated on various dates in January in various countries over the centuries. The view east in the Church of the Holy Name, Manchester, which forms the Catholic chaplaincy to the universities of the city. 1/2

55 years ago today. The Ibrox Disaster memorial, Glasgow.

It's a crisp, bright morning here in Ipswich, the temperature hovering just below freezing.

The angel font in St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, Inverness by James Redfern, c1870 for #FontsOnFriday. This is probably the most underwhelming cathedral I've ever visited, but it's noteworthy that, completed before Truro, it was Britain's first protestant cathedral since the Reformation.

Today's the feast of St Basil, 4th Century theologian, bishop and reformer of monastic life. Here's his cathedral on Red Square, Moscow, photographed in December 1985 (forty years ago!). The temperature was well below freezing, I recall. He's the patron saint of Russia.

On the first day of each month this year I'll post the appropriate panel from the 'Labours of the Months' font at Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk. The twelve scenes run clockwise, so from right to left. The panel for January on the right here shows a seated man drinking from a horn.

It's New Years Day, so here's my Vienna New Years Day Concert: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXz...

The canalside path on my walk this morning. No one else about. Very cold, still and quiet, even the ducks and moorhens were keeping their counsel. Days of freezing weather ahead in the forecast, it feels like the world is waiting for something.

One last thread of images of the Blessed Virgin on this, the feast of Mary, Mother of God. Here she is in a detail of a 15th Century East Anglian Annunciation scene, now in the Stained Glass Museum, Ely. 1/3

Glass by Douglas Strachan, 1932 in Paisley Abbey. Mary sits at the top with her son, flanked by angels. Below, Christ calms the storm, angels appear to shepherds, Abraham's hand is stayed before he sacrifices Isaac. Then Faith, Hope and Charity welcome North, West, South and East at the bottom. 1/3

It's the 1st of January, and today's the feast of Mary, Holy Mother of God. Here she is in a tender scene with her son in 14th Century French glass now in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow. 1/3

40 years ago today, I was in Leningrad, USSR. The view out across the frozen Neva that morning. 'Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.'

Bonne Année 1906! A New Year carte postale I bought for a euro from a junk stall in Paris about ten years ago. On the reverse, 'Bonne Année de tous trois, J Montrey' addressed to Monsieur et Madame Bajoird, Ferrières-en-Gâtinais, Loiret. It seems unlikely all three lads would survive WWI, I fear.

A nice article about Larkin's time in Oxford. Perhaps a bit over-enthusiastic to credit the place for Larkin's formation (he was certainly a jazz enthusiast before he arrived in the city) it's a good introduction for anyone who hasn't yet read Jill. www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/289606f...

This being New Years Eve, it's also the feast of St Sylvester, a 4th Century Pope probably best known for convening the Council of Nicaea in 325. He's on the right on the west front of Notre Dame, Paris, along with St John the Baptist, St Stephen and St Genevieve.

с Новым годом! 'Happy New Year!' reads a banner outside the Merchant's Hall, Nevsky Prospekt, Leningrad, USSR, photographed on this day 40 years ago, New Years Eve 1985. Grandfather Frost looks out over the passers-by, who are socialising as much as shopping.

40 years ago today, I was in Leningrad, USSR. The view out across the frozen Neva that morning. 'Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.'

'O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad' Old Felixstowe golf course in Suffolk with its Martello Tower and the sea beyond the strand. This is the setting of the MR James ghost story 'O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad'. More: www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4nK...

Just walking down Lady Lane, Ipswich, past the memorial marking the site of the medieval shrine of Our Lady of Ipswich, and... a dumped mock-leather lounge suite. Still, it's handy for anyone who wants a rest at what was one of the most important religious sites in East Anglia.

'There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years.' Anna the Prophetess, the subject of today's gospel, in glass by JG Hunt, 1880s at Great Addington, Northamptonshire.

An unusual incised memorial to William and Elizabeth Barlee, 1610/1619, and their son John and his wife Mary, 1633/1643, at Clavering, Essex. Lots of information, a reminder that these things were partly intended to establish legal entitlements and heirdom. #MonumentsMonday #MemorialsMonday

Murder in the Cathedral. The four knights, driven by demons, approach the kneeling Thomas Becket as he celebrates Mass in Canterbury Cathedral, one of a sequence of 14th Century bosses in Norwich Cathedral depicting the last days of the Archbishop. Today's the feast of St Thomas of Canterbury.

Today's the feast of St Thomas of Canterbury, 12th Century English archbishop and martyr. His martyrdom while celebrating Mass in Canterbury Cathedral is depicted in a wall painting in the chancel at South Burlingham, Norfolk. More: www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/burlinghamst...

The Flight into Egypt. On the advice of an angel, Joseph and Mary take the Christchild and flee Herod's Judea, heading south. A rood loft panel at St Mark, Norwich, by Temple Moore, 1913.

On the feast of the Holy Family, glass from Leiston, Suffolk by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, 1959. The young Christ has gone missing, and his parents find him teaching the elders in the temple.

Today's the feast of the Holy Family, and here Mary, Joseph and the Christchild are at St Pancras, Ipswich, with the shrine of Our Lady of Ipswich behind.

Today's the feast of the Holy Family. In a replica of 1520s glass from Steinfeld Abbey set in the east window at Erpingham, Norfolk, they escape into Egypt, while the Massacre of the Holy Innocents proceeds in the foreground. The original of the glass is in nearby Blickling Hall.