Medieval Wall Paintings

MAY 2021: AN INTRODUCTION TO WALL PAINTINGS IN MEDIEVAL ENGLAND

Meetings with large attendances remained banned during May 2021 and so another lecture by Zoom was arranged, this time by Dr Miriam Gill who is a local expert on medieval paintings. Miriam commenced by telling us that, encouraged by her father, another well-known local historian, she has been interested in medieval art since the age of 10 and was now teaching adult learners.

Although there are only a few examples of medieval wall paintings in Leicestershire (see later) one of the nearest is at Longthorpe Tower near Peterborough. This example, circa 1330, is currently undergoing restoration by English Heritage but is the most important set of medieval domestic wall paintings in northern Europe. A scene in a curved alcove seat shows a woman teaching a boy in front of her.

There are different types of wall paintings. Fresco is a technique whereby colours are applied to wet plaster and tend to be of an ‘egg and bacon’ palette with mixtures of red and yellow mixed to create other colours. As the plaster itself has to be wet, only a small section of the wall can be painted at a time and this is often very clear to see such as at Clayton, Sussex dated to 1100-1120.

The other type of wall painting is called Secco where paint is applied to dry plaster, this allows a wider variety of colours to be used. Boiled oil and egg yolk were added to secure the colour. A good example is at Kemply in Gloucester, a remote Norman church. Here there is a ‘wheel of life’ dating from the 13th century and in the barrel vaulted chancel roof a picture of Christ seated on a rainbow. This was discovered only in 1872 when Reformation whitewash was removed.

Local examples are at Cold Overton where there is a Eucharistic nativity dated c1300 and at Lutterworth where an interpretation of the ‘three living and the three dead’ may be seen. Here half or more of the original was covered over by the Victorians who considered the subject matter too extreme such as dead bodies, hell, demons, naked souls or of a catholic nature. However, the Victorian church restorer George Gilbert Scott wanted to establish, in his 1869 project, the link with John Wycliffe and he restored this painting but left out the questionable parts of the original.

Many medieval paintings were destroyed as a result of an injunction by King Edward VI in 1547 that Deans and Archdeacons MUST remove all wall paintings and items of idolatry and superstition. So, the inside walls of churches were whitewashed over. However, eventually the paintings showed through the whitewash and this attracted William Morris who, in 1877, founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). Original conservationists were not successful often causing more damage when they used varnish or even beeswax to protect paintings but this usually sealed in moisture instead of allowing it to be released and attracted dust. St Christopher, the patron saint of travellers is a popular wall painting subject, usually placed on the wall opposite to the main entrance so it was the first thing a visitor witnessed. Inglesham in Wiltshire is a good example.

Another local example, but in Rutland, is at Stoke Dry, a church associated with the Gunpowder plot but also with amazing examples of wall paintings. One shows the martyrdom of St Edmond when he was killed by arrows shot at him by what looks like a man with a feathered headdress similar to those worn by native North American Indians. This clearly could not be so and in medieval times such figures were often used to portray people who were evil and needed to be shown in a bad light. Another wall painting at the church shows St Andrew holding his heart.

Who painted these works? Often not recorded or the records have been lost, but Hugh of St Albans is a known expert. They were often paid for by the local priest or Lord of the Manor, often in repentance of some wrongful act. Many more examples were given and this was an altogether fascinating lecture, professionally delivered by an expert.

Report by Colin Towell