Forget about the author’s wartime mistakes, the way Bertie tackles Mosley-esque thug Roderick Spode is a great lesson in sending up would-be despots

A while ago I saw a picture of the north arcade of St. Laurence's church in Pittington. I assumed that it was some over the top Victorian restoration job trying to copy the Galilee chapel in Durham Cathedral. I did a little research (Pevsner & the H.E. listing) and discovered that I was wrong. These wonderful columns and arches are genuine and date to the late twelfth century.