Today, the ruins of the once great abbey of Easby pale into insignificance beside the tiny church of St. Agatha which once stood hidden in its shadow. Do not pass this rural building by, for it is the home of one of the most remarkable set medieval wall paintings in the country. These colourful, almost perfect scenes (though restored in 1994) date from about 1250. They show the essential elements of the Christian story: the Creation & Fall of Man, his Redemption by the Coming of the Lord and the Crucifixion & Resurrection of Christ. The priests depicted in the triple sedilia are rather charming. Still more delightful are the figures showing agricultural life in the Middle Ages which cover the window splays.

There are still other points of interest in this fascinating church though. The superb Saxon Cross, dating from AD 790, is a replica of the original in the Victoria & Albert Museum, but it is worth close examination. The carvings show the apostles and the risen Christ. Also note the jambs of the church door which have a number of grooves in them. Tradition ascribes these to local archers sharpening their weapons.