The best preserved medieval wall paintings in England
Hidden in a tiny Gloucestershire church are paintings almost 900 years old. The chancel in St Mary’s Church, Kempley, is covered in extraordinary preserved medieval paintings, created in around 1130. They are among the most complete surviving Romanesque painted schemes in northern Europe.
At the centre of the ceiling is Christ in Majesty, surrounded by angels, the four symbols of the Evangelists, and the Seven Golden Candlesticks of Revelation.
Below, the Twelve Apostles gaze upwards towards Christ, their flowing robes still revealing the artistry of their medieval creators.
These paintings were hidden beneath whitewash for centuries before being rediscovered in 1872.
Today, they offer a rare glimpse into a time when churches were filled with colour, symbolism and powerful visual storytelling.
Qué increíble que hayan estado ocultas bajo el whitewash hasta 1872, casi 750 años ahí tapadas. Me quedé mirando el Cristo en Majestad del techo con los siete candelabros dorados, ¡qué nivel de detalle para ser del 1130!
900 años ocultos bajo el whitewash y recién en 1872 alguien se dio cuenta, increíble. ¿Se puede entrar libremente a la iglesia o hay que coordinar visita con English Heritage? Me guardo Kempley para la próxima ruta por Gloucestershire.
Imaginate que esas pinturas del techo de Kempley estuvieron tapadas con cal por casi 750 años hasta 1872, increíble que hayan sobrevivido tan completas. Los doce apóstoles mirando hacia el Cristo en Majestad me dejaron pensando cuánto color perdimos en tantas iglesias que hoy vemos solo en piedra pelada.
Curated by: @mvchacin