The angels of St Wendredas will be the focus of a new documentary called 'Harrier Angels'
BBC Illuminated is BBC Radio 4's home for creative and surprising one-off documentaries that shed light on hidden worlds.
The documentary will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 29 Mar 2026 at 7:15pm and Tuesday 31 Mar at 11:00pm and afterwards will be available on BBC iPlayer
John Betjeman wrote that it was 'worth cycling forty miles in a head wind to visit St Wendreda's church in March, Cambridgeshire, because of the 118 angels in the roof'.
The wings of the C16th oak carvings are inspired by hen and marsh harriers. Once common locally - they are returning now. Nature writer Robert Macfarlane looks at the carvings, drawing connections between angels and harriers, what they say about of our feelings for the birds and angels.
Robert climbs to the ringing chamber to get close to the harrier angels with Ruth Clay, vicar of St Wendreda's, Edward Wilson-Lee, author of The Grammar of Angels, and Ajay Tegala, ranger at Wicken Fen. They discuss their meaning, in the C16th when they were carved, and today. The persecution and survival of the angel carvings corresponds to that of the birds. At Easter this is a resonant story.
During the Reformation iconoclasts destroyed 'idolatrous' church decorations, including carvings. Michael Rimmer, author of The Angel Roofs of East Anglia, tells of their destruction. At the same time the Tudor Vermin Acts led to a frenzy of killing of birds of prey such as harriers.
When Henry VIII's agents came to March to destroy the carvings, the people of March plied them with drink and food. They left with the church silver, but the harrier angels stayed intact.
In William Barsley’s workshop the wood carver speaks about the art of the carvers who were known as 'imaginators'.
Robert visits Wicken Fen with Ajay Tegala, where hen and marsh harriers are in recovery, to observe them in angelic flight.
And musician Martin Simpson has made a special recording of his song Skydancers, about harriers, their predicament, recovery, and our role in this.
Presenter: Robert Macfarlane Producer: Julian May
Thanks for listening!
Sponsor an Angel
St Wendreda's are currently running a Spire Appeal, fundraising for essential repairs to the church spire. which includes the opportunity to sponsor one of their carved Angels. If you want to find out more about the appeal, you can visit their website, or contact the Revd Ruth, Team Vicar and Team Leader in Mission in March, and based at St Wendreda’s Church, on Revruth.marchchurches@outlook.com.