Residents in Ludham are happy to be celebrating something normally regarded as unsightly vandalism – graffiti.

For among the carvings discovered in 14th century St Catherine's Church is an upside-down signature that has shed important light on its history.

On Saturday, villagers have chosen their annual three-day arts and crafts event to launch a graffiti trail around the church to highlight the findings of a history project team.

Ken Grapes, chairman of the parochial church council, said: 'It all started when people working on the restoration project at St Benet's Abbey found a variety of fascinating graffiti through the ages there.

'Then they wanted to extend their search to nearby churches and came to Ludham.

'I have known the church man and boy and I said, 'there is no graffiti here', so I was surprised when they found no end of it.'

Among the finds were daisy wheel designs, thought to be the marks of stonemasons, and crosses, but the most significant was an upside-down signature on a pillar.

Mr Grapes said: 'We think the nave was knocked down and rebuilt in a much grander way in the 15th century and this provides an important clue to that.

'It would seem stone was reused, in an early form of recycling, and this one was relaid upside down.'

Amanda Sargant, 54, of Catfield Road, Ludham, volunteered to join the graffiti hunters and uncovered the letters spelling out Bestelbyh, probably a surname.

She said: 'It is only when you hold a light at a certain angle that you can make it out.'

People wanting to go on the graffiti trail will be able to pick up a map in the church highlighting the spots where it can be seen.

Mr Grapes said: 'We get up to 10,000 visitors a year and we thought this would be something extra for them to see.'

The arts and craft fair, open 10am to 5pm in the church over the bank holiday, will have 30 local exhibitors from potters and painters to jewellery makers. Visitors will be able to see lambs and sheep shearing in the churchyard.