Elswyth

Photographs and Stories by Kate Coldrick | Woodbury, Devon

Elswyth by Kate Coldrick
Kate Coldrick — photographer and writer based in Woodbury, Devon

  • Mediaeval Paintings in Axminster

    From Elswyth, a collection tracing how centuries gather quietly within the same stone walls.

    In Axminster, time does not sit in neat sequence – it layers itself across plaster, paint and carved wood. The chancel arch frames a space shaped by mediaeval devotion and later restoration, while fragments of wall paintings emerge like whispers from beneath centuries of limewash. Their looping patterns and faded pigments suggest a once richly adorned interior, only recently brought back into view. The carved pulpit, the hanging brass, the coloured glass at the east window – each belongs to a different moment, yet together they hold a continuity that stretches from the burial place of Cyneheard to the present day.

    The chancel arch of Axminster Church framing the altar and stained-glass east window, with carved pulpit and layered wall surfaces visible, photographed by Kate Coldrick.
    Close-up of recently uncovered medieval wall paintings in Axminster Church, showing faded ochre and black decorative patterns beneath worn plaster, photographed by Kate Coldrick.
    Fragment of medieval wall painting on a white plastered wall in Axminster Church, with brass chandelier and chancel visible beyond, photographed by Kate Coldrick.

    In Axminster, centuries gather – from the burial place of Cyneheard to the layered time of wall paintings newly brought back into light.

    Words and images © Kate Coldrick – part of the Elswyth collection.

  • Saxon Church in Itchenor

    From Elswyth, a collection tracing quiet places shaped by centuries of faith.

    The Saxon church of St Nicholas in West Itchenor carries nearly nine hundred years within its simple walls – narrow windows, limewashed curves, timbered roof, and a font worn smooth by generations. There’s a gentleness to this small sanctuary, a sense that time moves differently here, held in the hush of wood, stone, and light.

    St Nicholas Church in Itchenor - photograph by Kate Coldrick
    St Nicholas Church in Itchenor - photograph by Kate Coldrick
    St Nicholas Church in Itchenor - photograph by Kate Coldrick
    The font in St Nicholas Church in Itchenor - photograph by Kate Coldrick
    St Nicholas Church in Itchenor - photograph by Kate Coldrick

    A place of worship since 1125, this peaceful Saxon church of St Nicholas is the oldest building in the village of West Itchenor.

    Words and images © Kate Coldrick – part of the Elswyth collection.

  • Seasons of Change

    From Elswyth, a collection attentive to the quiet artistry found in English churches.

    The stained glass in St Nicholas Church, Itchenor moves through the turning of the year – firelight, frost, harvest, and wind – each panel carrying its own rhythm of colour and story. There is something deeply human in these seasonal scenes, a reminder of how closely our lives once followed the land and how faith was woven through the passing of time.

    Stained glass of a bonfire at St Nicholas, Itchenor – Photograph by Kate Coldrick
    Stained glass of an owl, fox and ice skaters at St Nicholas, Itchenor – Photograph by Kate Coldrick
    Stained glass of an apple tree at St Nicholas, Itchenor – Photograph by Kate Coldrick
    Stained glass of a windy day at St Nicholas, Itchenor – Photograph by Kate Coldrick
    Stained glass of harvest at St Nicholas, Itchenor – Photograph by Kate Coldrick

    “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

    Words and images © Kate Coldrick – part of the Elswyth collection.