The Rarest of the Rare

In many of the churches and cathedrals I've visited, there's a small discoloration on one of the walls, sometimes with just a hint of a discernable shape. The churches in question proudly point out that these are remnants of murals from before the time of the Puritans. During the Civil War, most ecclesiastical murals were viewed as idolatrous and sacrilegious and were either chipped off the walls or painted over with white paint. Over the years, many have been discovered, but early methods of stripping paint often removed the underlying paintings at the same time. This background is necessary to appreciate the marvel of the medieval wall paintings found in St. Mary's Church in Kempley, Gloucestershire.

To find it you have to drive down miles of one-lane roads and even when you reach it, it's pretty well hidden. There's just a small sign on the road. You make your way down a walkway under the trees

until you come to the little pink church.

You enter the church through the west door, a well-preserved example of 12th century carpentry and ironmongery.

It's what lies beyond the door that is so astounding.

The paintings on the walls date from the 12th century.

There's a depiction of the Wheel of Life.

A small sign shows in detail what is depicted on the wall.

In the alcove of the small window is painted a religious procession.

It's the barrel-vaulted chancel that truly takes your breath away.

These 12th century paintings are considered the most complete set of Romanesque paintings in northern Europe. Think of it: these were painted 1,400 years ago!

At a time when most people were illiterate, it was the wall paintings of the church that would remind them of the stories of the bible.

Perhaps the most amazing thing is what lies beyond the plain wooden ceiling.

In 1999 the English Heritage Society initiated a dendochronology test on the oak roof of the church. The Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory found the roof was the oldest medieval roof in Britain every tested, dating back to between 1120 and 1150.

Such an unforgettable piece of history lies down an untraveled road in Gloucestershire!