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Page last updated at 13:53 GMT, Tuesday, 19 January 2010

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In pictures: Faire is the Heaven looks at church art

Norwich photography exhibition Faire is the Heaven opens up Norfolk's churches to unveil the beautiful artwork that can be seen within. Photographs by Paul Hurst.

Pulpit at St Mary and St Andrew, Horsham St Faith, Norfolk (detail) (Photo: Paul Hurst)

The exhibition, taking place at St Peter Hungate Church in Norwich, showcases the drawings and paintings featured on more than 30 rood screens that can be seen in Norfolk's churches.

Paintings highlighted in the show include this design of St Cecilia, laden with a wreath of Roses, from All Saint's Church in Filby.

Rood screens, dating back to medieval times, are the partitions between the chancel and the nave in a church. Norwich's Hungate Medieval Art set up the exhibition to celebrate their often overlooked splendour.

Norfolk has one of the greatest survival rates of rood screens in the UK and Paul's photographs of the old paintings highlight their quality and detail.

Hungate Medieval Art is based at St Peter Hungate Church on Princes Street, Norwich, and their work has the backing of Loyd Grossman, TV personality and chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust.

"The quality of the painting on the screens is very high, but screens don't receive the same recognition as works in other mediums," said Dale Copley from Hungate Medieval Art.

"My favourite is definitely St Matthew in his glasses from Cawston St Agnes. Medieval art is so fascinating because beyond the staple iconographic subjects there are brilliant details of medieval life," added Dale.

"The rich benefactors of the time would have employed all the local skilled craftsmen in making these screens, in the hope of reaching Heaven," said Paul Hurst, whose photographs feature in the gallery.

Screen at St Michael's Church in Barton Turf, Norfolk (detail) (Photo: Paul Hurst)

Faire is the Heaven takes place at St Peter Hungate Church, Norwich, until Saturday, 13 March 2010. The church is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.