The Infamous Troston 'Demon'

Some of our best examples of medieval apotropaic paintings and graffiti

Along a quiet lane in the Suffolk village of Troston lies St Mary’s church. And within can be found some of the county’s finest medieval wall paintings, if not England’s.

Entering through the porch, one is presented with a giant image of St Christopher and the Christ child. It was likely deliberately positioned so as to be visible from the doorway. Depictions of St Christopher had apotropaic qualities; it was thought that anyone who looked upon his image was immune from violent or sudden death for the rest of the day (similarly, a wall painting of St Edmund at Lakenheath St Mary’s blesses all those who enter the church.) The act of simply looking upon his image was a curious folk-magical act: doing so meant the viewer was immune from sudden death for the rest of the day.