Since then, it has become one of the season’s most beloved carols - joyfully sung, endlessly parodied, and responsible for many a fiendish quiz question each December. But beyond the festive fun, the song is also a celebration of abundance, surprise, and discovery.
Our churches hold that same spirit.
Step inside almost any historic church and you’ll find it brimming with meaning: gilded angels, carved creatures, symbolic numbers, curious birds, and stories tucked into wood, stone, glass, and paint. Yet, just like deciphering the gifts in the carol, these treasures often reveal themselves only when you take time to look a little closer.
Join us on a journey across the UK as we match each day of this iconic song with real-life craftsmanship and quirky details found in church furnishings. Let this be your invitation to go exploring - to visit churches near to you, seek out their hidden wonders, and experience the joy of discovering something new in places thought familiar.
All Saints in Wold Newton, Yorkshire, is home to a remarkable stone-carved partridge. Set high on a pillar beside the glorious Romanesque south door and dating from around 1140–1150, it greets visitors as they enter. Weathered but full of character, this little bird keeps a quiet watch over the doorway - a delightful, unexpected treasure for anyone curious enough to look up and discover it.
Doves appear throughout churches - in stained glass, carved wood and stone, and woven into vestments - symbols of peace, purity, and steadfast love. At St Etheldreda’s in London, a statue of St Anne Line, martyred at Tyburn in 1601, continues this story. Shakespeare’s The Phoenix and the Turtle, written in connection with her burial, casts Anne as the immortal phoenix and her husband, Roger Line, as the faithful turtle dove, embodying enduring love and devotion.
To spot a hen - or more often her proud partner, the cockerel look skyward. Many church spires are topped with a weathercock, turning and glinting in the wind. At St Mary’s in Newark, an 18th century cockerel stands out, recently re-gilded to a brilliant shine. Perched high above the town, it catches both light and breeze, a striking, watchful guardian over the parish below - a charming symbol of vigilance and pride visible to all who pass beneath.
The carol’s earliest version mentioned “colly birds,” meaning birds as black as coal. Starlings fit the description perfectly - and a whole murmuration can be found inside Norwich Cathedral. On one of the magnificent misericords, a lively scene unfolds: a swarm of starlings in frantic motion, harrying a beleaguered owl. This spirited carving offers a glimpse of the natural world as imagined in the medieval mind, rewarding visitors who look closely.
Inside St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast, golden colours are hard to miss. Beautiful woodwork, gold painted beams and natural light come together to give every visitor a warm welcome. Positioned in an area deeply affected by Northern Ireland’s complex history, this cathedral has witnessed profound transformations in the surrounding community and its proximity to the city’s Peace Wall adds a layer of poignancy to the cathedral’s presence.
Among the many treasures in the Assumption of the Blessed Mary & St Nicholas in Etchingham, is a remarkable set of 14th century misericords, each brimming with character. One, in particular, catches the eye: a fox in clerical robes, standing before a gaggle of attentive geese. Inspired by the tales of Reynard the Fox, it delivers a sly medieval warning - mocking corrupt or hypocritical clergy who preach virtue while pursuing their own interests.
Between 2008 and 2017, conservationists revealed a remarkably well preserved medieval wall painting of St George at St Cadoc, Llancarfan, in the Vale of Glamorgan. High on the south wall, a black shield adorned with three silver swans hints at the local Bawdrep family, suggesting that Sir William Bawdrep may have commissioned the work. This hidden detail brings the story of patronage and devotion vividly to life.
Glastonbury Tor has held spiritual significance for over a thousand years, celebrated as one of England’s most mystical sites. While closely tied to Christian traditions, its pagan roots are still honoured today. On the west side of the tower, above the door, a charming carved panel captures a slice of everyday life - a maid milking a cow. This simple, yet evocative image connects visitors to the Tor’s rich tapestry of faith, folklore, and local tradition.
The Hospital of St Cross has been described as one of the most beautiful groups of buildings in the country. Founded in the 12th century, it comprises almshouses, a grand hall, and an impressive church, recently featured in the BBC’s Wolf Hall. Inside the church, the 16th century choir stalls delight visitors with intricate carvings, including whimsical figurines of dancing ladies. These lively details bring the historic space to life.
All Saints, Claverley is a small Norman church in Shropshire, remarkable for its original wall paintings dating back to around 1200. Astonishingly vivid, they remain almost as bright as the day they were created. Along the north nave columns, two troops of knights leap and rear in combat, horses in full motion. This striking scene is thought to depict the timeless struggle between vices and virtues, bringing medieval allegory vividly to life.
The sound of bagpipes is instantly recognisable, and in Edinburgh their music often drifts through the streets. Inside St Giles Cathedral, however, you’ll find a quieter tribute to the instrument: a wooden carving of an angel playing the pipes. Nestled in the Thistle Chapel, built in 1911 for the chivalric Order of the Thistle, this charming figure celebrates both music and devotion, offering visitors a delightful detail to discover amid the cathedral’s grandeur.
Finally, to glorious Beverley Minster in Yorkshire, whose medieval minstrel carvings feature more than seventy images, including twenty different instruments, in wood and stone. It is the largest such collection in the world. In addition to drummers drumming, there are fiddles, trumpets, lutes, cymbals and many more.
LauraMcIlveen
