Painted Walls

Britain has a long and fine tradition of wall-painting, though one that is not as well-known as it might be. Many of the finest works have suffered from the neglect of centuries, or been covered by whitewash or worse. In recent years much has been done to reveal them, conserve them, and sometimes reverse earlier generations’ attempts at restoration. English Heritage is beginning a nine-month exhibition on the subject, travelling around nine sites where the diversity of the English wall-painting tradition can be seen, ranging from the early medieval period to the twentieth century, and in subject from traditional Christian work to theatre sets and domestic scenes.

Perhaps the most moving of the works highlighted by the exhibition are also the more recent, and most fragile: Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire has a small block near the keep where conscientious objectors were held during the First World War. Their decorations of their cells can only be viewed through a ‘virtual tour’.