White Rabbits, Wonderland and Writer's Block

Recognise this little fellow?

Said to be carved in approximately 1330 and wearing the distinctive satchel of the pilgrim, he graces the archway of St Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, a town where Lewis Carroll stayed while he was preparing to write Alice in Wonderland. Even the most fleeting glance suggests an impression of the White Rabbit, running behind schedule, whom Alice follows into the rabbit hole, thus beginning her fantastical adventures.

It was a treat to see him, so distinctive and characterful, partly because it made me smile to think of the stonemason with a sense of humour all those years ago, but also because it's a reminder that inspiration comes in unexpected places. If you are tussling with your Work in Progress, or suffering from writer's block, go out for a walk or a wander – it's amazing what you might stumble upon and following a fresh idea may lead you to unexpected places, just as Alice discovered when she set off in pursuit of an irresistible little rabbit...