Rediscovering Britain’s Medieval Domestic Wall Paintings

This lecture will introduce learners to the surprisingly rich and often overlooked tradition of medieval domestic wall painting in Britain. While the murals that decorate churches and cathedrals are more familiar to general audiences, this talk focuses on the art found behind closed doors—in private homes, manor towers, and secular spaces—revealing how these painted walls shaped and reflected everyday life, belief, and identity during medieval times.

With the launch of the Courtauld's National Wall Painting Survey this year that draws new attention to the importance of these works and provides better access, this is a particularly timely moment to explore the British wall paintings that survive—and why they matter. My own conservation experience with the Courtauld at Longthorpe Tower in Peterborough, one of the most significant sites for medieval wall painting in the country, will serve as a central case study.

The lecture will feature rich visual material, clear historical…