Matthew J Champion, FSA, FRHistS | University of East Anglia (original) (raw)
Full Length Works by Matthew J Champion, FSA, FRHistS
They say that every Englishman's home is his castle. However, for most of us our home tends to be... more They say that every Englishman's home is his castle. However, for most of us our home tends to be on a much more modest scale - as it has been for the majority of the population throughout history. The study of historic buildings has told us a great deal about our relationship with the places in which we live. It has shown us how they evolved from the simple round-houses of the pre-Roman era, through the modest timber framed dwellings of the medieval period, all the way through to the brick, stone and concrete of the modern world. It has helped us follow the story of how the 'house' became a 'home'.
However, archaeology also tells us something else. Another part of the story. It appears that ever since mankind chose to live in one particular spot, ever since we began to build structures that we could call 'home', we have sought to protect them. Stout walls and thick doors have kept out the weather and mortal enemies, but throughout history people have also sought to protect their homes from the unseen enemies. They have attempted to keep their hearth and home safe from the forces of evil - the witches, demons and evil spirits that roamed the pre-modern world. The insubstantial evils that could bring misfortune, bad luck and, in extreme cases, the spirits of the dead, into the homes of the living.
Such protections have been sought throughout all periods of the past, and take many forms. From the simple inscribed 'witch marks' above a medieval fireplace, and the 'Hag Stones' hung above doorways, to the more grisly and macabre practice of ritually placing dead animals within the very fabric of the house. Today such objects are regularly uncovered and recorded by researchers, householders and even builders, but few people realise the full extent of the use of such charms and talisman by our ancestors. Whilst we may associate them with superstition, and tend to think of them as being something carried out by the lower classes, they are also to be found in the grandest of Tudor or Jacobean houses, and covering the walls of many medieval castles. It turns out that, when darkness fell, even the bravest of knights feared the night. What is perhaps more surprising still, is just how many of these strange practices continue to be carried out to this day...
The discovery of a four thousand year old timber circle amid the sand and peat of the windswept N... more The discovery of a four thousand year old timber circle amid the sand and peat of the windswept North Norfolk coast was probably one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century; it was certainly one of the most controversial. The circle, quickly dubbed 'Seahenge' by the world's media, became the focus for a long, and at times bitter, public debate that caught the imagination of all who came into contact with it. This book chronicles the entire story; from the initial discovery, through the arguements and debates, to the final controversial excavation and reconstruction by Channel 4's TIME TEAM. Alongside this, 'Seahenge - a contemporary chronicle' also examines the archaeological evidence and modern reconstruction of the circle. What was the monument originally for and who were the people who worked long and hard to build it? This book aims to open up the debate and, for the first time, give the public access to the evidence. In the end the only true judge is history.
For centuries carved writings and artworks in churches lay largely unnoticed. So archaeologist Ma... more For centuries carved writings and artworks in churches lay largely unnoticed. So archaeologist Matthew Champion started a nationwide survey to gather the best examples. In this book he shines a spotlight on a forgotten world of ships, prayers for good fortune, satirical cartoons, charms, curses, windmills, word puzzles, architectural plans and heraldic designs. Drawing on examples from surviving medieval churches in England, the author gives a voice to the secret graffiti artists: from the lord of the manor and the parish priest to the people who built the church itself.
Here are strange medieval beasts, knights battling unseen dragons, ships sailing across lime-washed oceans and demons who stalk the walls. Latin prayers for the dead jostle with medieval curses, builders’ accounts and slanderous comments concerning a long-dead archdeacon. Strange and complex geometric designs, created to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and thwart the works of the devil, share church pillars with the heraldic shields of England’s medieval nobility.
Book contributions by Matthew J Champion, FSA, FRHistS
This volume is devoted to consideration of the ordnance, munitions and equipment for war - the ra... more This volume is devoted to consideration of the ordnance, munitions and equipment for war - the raison d'être for the building of the Mary Rose.
In the spring of 2009, a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in th... more In the spring of 2009, a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Lakenheath. In addition to the process of physical conservation, this Heritage Lottery-funded project allowed the examination of the documentary and building history of the church. The aim was to examine the wall paintings as more than simple examples of medieval art and to place them within the wider context of the parish’s history.¹ The results were both surprising and more far-reaching than anyone had first anticipated.
This volume investigates the physical evidence for magic in medieval and modern Britain, includin... more This volume investigates the physical evidence for magic in medieval and modern Britain, including ritual mark, concealed objects, amulets, and magical equipment. The contributors are the current experts in each area of the subject, and show between them how ample the evidence is and how important it is for an understanding of history.
Oxford Handbook of Later Medieval Archaeology, Jan 2018
Although the study of medieval church graffiti inscriptions has a long pedigree, recent large-sc... more Although the study of medieval church graffiti inscriptions has a long pedigree, recent
large-scale surveys have brought to light tens of thousands of previously unknown
examples. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the new discoveries is the fact that the
vast majority of these early graffiti, where intelligible, have been shown to have distinctly
spiritual, devotional, or votive meaning. Whilst the most obvious of these take the form of
prayers or invocations, sometimes written in the conventional Latin forms of the
Orthodox Church, many others appear to have been created in non-traditional forms. Vast
numbers of these early inscriptions appear to reflect aspects of lay piety and belief,
having an apotropaic function, and represent a personal interaction between parishioner
and the medieval church. Taken together they indicate that medieval graffiti were
regarded as both accepted and acceptable forms of devotion.
Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our histori... more Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our historic monuments for centuries - intrigue and fascinate, but have only recently become the object of a heritage interest, beyond the curiosity they have always aroused. They form a heterogeneous group, addressing religion, love, sex, war, politics ...
Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our histori... more Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our historic monuments for centuries - intrigue and fascinate, but have only recently become the object of a heritage interest, beyond the curiosity they have always aroused. They form a heterogeneous group, addressing religion, love, sex, war, politics ...
in, Cohen, N. & Parton, F., Knole Revealed: Archaeology and Discovery at a Great Country House, 2019
A summary of the findings of the multiple historic graffiti surveys that were undertaken on behal... more A summary of the findings of the multiple historic graffiti surveys that were undertaken on behalf of the National Trust at Knole House, Kent.
Over the past decade, Knole has undertaken the biggest conservation project in the National Trust, supported by a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Academic Articles by Matthew J Champion, FSA, FRHistS
Norfolk Archaeology Vol 1 (New Series), 2022
Paston Hall in the village of Paston lies in the north-east corner of the county of Norfolk. From... more Paston Hall in the village of Paston lies in the north-east corner of the county of Norfolk. From at least the late 14th century until the early 17th century the hall was home to the Paston family, made famous for their extensive surviving medieval correspondence, first published by Sir John Fenn of East Dereham in the late 18th century. The original hall fell in to ruin in the later 17th century, before being largely demolished in the 18th century, and little is known of its original form and layout. Until recently there was only one known engraving that was believed to depict the ruins of Paston Hall; a small-scale version which was used to illustrate the title page of volume five of the famous Paston Letters, published in 1823. The engraving was attributed to noted artist Josiah Boydell. However, the original larger artwork upon which the engraving was based has now been rediscovered, along with two other depictions of the ruins drawn by Harriet Gunn in the 1840s, allowing the layout of the hall to be deduced.
Archaeometry
Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its incept... more Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its inception in the early 18th century. It is well known that earlier, experimental, architectural stoneware products existed, but few of these have been studied in detail scientifically, and only one major analytical study of Coade stone has appeared in the literature. This paper presents a new spectroscopic analysis of Coade stone along with that of a newly discovered sample from Oxnead Hall in Norfolk where it known that Sir Clement Paston experimented with artificial stone in the late 16th century. The results demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate between the two variants on the basis of both the raw materials used and the different phases formed in their production processes.
Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology, 2024
In the Spring of 2009 a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the... more In the Spring of 2009 a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Lakenheath. In addition to the process of physical conservation, the Heritage Lottery funded project allowed examination of the documentary and building history of the church. The aim was to attempt to examine the wall paintings as more than simple representations of medieval art and to place them within the wider context of the parish history. The results were both surprising and more far reaching than anyone had first anticipated.
Before work began it was believed that the paintings in St Mary’s consisted of three or four independent and typical decorative schemes, had already been well documented, and that there was little new awaiting discovery. However, conservation revealed that the walls of the church contained at least five separate paint schemes, with the earliest perhaps dating from as far back as the late 12th century, and that several of these schemes appeared to have had their inspiration in, or been reflections of, local conflict. The walls of the church were far more than expressions of religious devotion, they were the physical manifestations of a conflict that separated parish from church, nave from chancel and represented the frontline in a battle between two of the most powerful religious establishments in medieval East Anglia.
It is intended that this report will act as a general summary of the project, detailing the background to the work, the interventions undertaken and discoveries made. This report also contains a summary of the interpretation work undertaken as part of the project and brings together much of the previously scattered material relating to the paintings. Prior to the project the building phases, history and chronology can, at best, be described as confused and contradictory. In one particularly well documented instance the church contained an early 13th century wall painting scheme that had been applied to a wall that , according to the listing documentation, was not built until the middle of the 14th century. A key element to the 2009 project was to try and rationalise the wall painting history with the building phases and develop a more accurate chronology for the building as a whole.
Post-Medieval Archaeology, Volume 57, Issue 1 , 2023
This article examines the post-medieval letter graffiti present at historic sites in the UK, and ... more This article examines the post-medieval letter graffiti present at historic sites in the UK, and carries out a statistical analysis of the markings across multiple sites, with a view to determining authorship and intent. The data from the graffiti inscriptions is also examined within the wider social history context of naming traditions within the UK and elsewhere, and concludes that a measurable and distinct gender bias is present amongst the historical graffiti that has wide reaching implications with regard to concepts of gendered space and social norms.
Norfolk Archaeology XLVIII, 2020
Consecration crosses, sometimes referred to as ‘dedicatory’ or ‘dedication’ crosses, were created... more Consecration crosses, sometimes referred to as ‘dedicatory’ or ‘dedication’ crosses, were created at the time when a church was newly built, and being consecrated for Christian worship. The act of consecration was undertaken by a bishop, who would anoint the new-built walls of the church with holy oil (chrism), twelve times outside, and twelve times inside. The sites so anointed were marked with a form of cross – most usually painted. Norfolk has one of the finest collections of surviving pre-reformation consecration crosses of any county in England, with over ninety extant examples being recorded at forty-six individual sites. This article examines the function and creation of the consecration crosses recorded in Norfolk churches, by comparing the surviving physical evidence with the written sources, and presents a summary of the survivals recorded to date, including their construction details, condition, form, and style.
Church Monuments: the journal of the Church Monument Society, 2018
Whilst the study of church monuments is an extensive field, there is one area of study that has u... more Whilst the study of church monuments is an extensive field, there is one area of study that has until recently seen relatively little scholarly attention, being the study of informal commemorative inscriptions recorded in graffiti. The recent establishment of large scale volunteer-led church graffiti surveys has documented numerous examples of these informal memorials across the whole of the UK, creating a new, and previously almost unknown, corpus of material for study. This article highlights a small selection of these recent discoveries, and offers some interpretation as to the motivation behind their creation.
Norfolk Archaeology, 2017
A medieval Pax was a small tablet or decorated board containing a religious image t... more A medieval Pax was a small tablet or decorated board containing a religious image that was offered to the church congregation to kiss, the 'kiss of peace', prior to their taking communion at Mass. The Pax was one of the most common items of pre-reformation church liturgical equipment, and played a regular and important part within the everyday services of the medieval Church. Many thousands of these items were created, in a variety of media, with examples in wood, glass, ivory, brass and silver-gilt having once been present within English parish churches. However, today less than a dozen identifiable English examples are known to survive. This article sets out to examine the largely overlooked role of the Pax within the late medieval English Church, their use within church communities and their decline within the framework of
the English reformation. In addition, this article highlights the recent rediscovery of a previously unknown late medieval Pax that was re-used as a component within a memorial brass located in St George's church, South Acre, Norfolk.
They say that every Englishman's home is his castle. However, for most of us our home tends to be... more They say that every Englishman's home is his castle. However, for most of us our home tends to be on a much more modest scale - as it has been for the majority of the population throughout history. The study of historic buildings has told us a great deal about our relationship with the places in which we live. It has shown us how they evolved from the simple round-houses of the pre-Roman era, through the modest timber framed dwellings of the medieval period, all the way through to the brick, stone and concrete of the modern world. It has helped us follow the story of how the 'house' became a 'home'.
However, archaeology also tells us something else. Another part of the story. It appears that ever since mankind chose to live in one particular spot, ever since we began to build structures that we could call 'home', we have sought to protect them. Stout walls and thick doors have kept out the weather and mortal enemies, but throughout history people have also sought to protect their homes from the unseen enemies. They have attempted to keep their hearth and home safe from the forces of evil - the witches, demons and evil spirits that roamed the pre-modern world. The insubstantial evils that could bring misfortune, bad luck and, in extreme cases, the spirits of the dead, into the homes of the living.
Such protections have been sought throughout all periods of the past, and take many forms. From the simple inscribed 'witch marks' above a medieval fireplace, and the 'Hag Stones' hung above doorways, to the more grisly and macabre practice of ritually placing dead animals within the very fabric of the house. Today such objects are regularly uncovered and recorded by researchers, householders and even builders, but few people realise the full extent of the use of such charms and talisman by our ancestors. Whilst we may associate them with superstition, and tend to think of them as being something carried out by the lower classes, they are also to be found in the grandest of Tudor or Jacobean houses, and covering the walls of many medieval castles. It turns out that, when darkness fell, even the bravest of knights feared the night. What is perhaps more surprising still, is just how many of these strange practices continue to be carried out to this day...
The discovery of a four thousand year old timber circle amid the sand and peat of the windswept N... more The discovery of a four thousand year old timber circle amid the sand and peat of the windswept North Norfolk coast was probably one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century; it was certainly one of the most controversial. The circle, quickly dubbed 'Seahenge' by the world's media, became the focus for a long, and at times bitter, public debate that caught the imagination of all who came into contact with it. This book chronicles the entire story; from the initial discovery, through the arguements and debates, to the final controversial excavation and reconstruction by Channel 4's TIME TEAM. Alongside this, 'Seahenge - a contemporary chronicle' also examines the archaeological evidence and modern reconstruction of the circle. What was the monument originally for and who were the people who worked long and hard to build it? This book aims to open up the debate and, for the first time, give the public access to the evidence. In the end the only true judge is history.
For centuries carved writings and artworks in churches lay largely unnoticed. So archaeologist Ma... more For centuries carved writings and artworks in churches lay largely unnoticed. So archaeologist Matthew Champion started a nationwide survey to gather the best examples. In this book he shines a spotlight on a forgotten world of ships, prayers for good fortune, satirical cartoons, charms, curses, windmills, word puzzles, architectural plans and heraldic designs. Drawing on examples from surviving medieval churches in England, the author gives a voice to the secret graffiti artists: from the lord of the manor and the parish priest to the people who built the church itself.
Here are strange medieval beasts, knights battling unseen dragons, ships sailing across lime-washed oceans and demons who stalk the walls. Latin prayers for the dead jostle with medieval curses, builders’ accounts and slanderous comments concerning a long-dead archdeacon. Strange and complex geometric designs, created to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and thwart the works of the devil, share church pillars with the heraldic shields of England’s medieval nobility.
This volume is devoted to consideration of the ordnance, munitions and equipment for war - the ra... more This volume is devoted to consideration of the ordnance, munitions and equipment for war - the raison d'être for the building of the Mary Rose.
In the spring of 2009, a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in th... more In the spring of 2009, a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Lakenheath. In addition to the process of physical conservation, this Heritage Lottery-funded project allowed the examination of the documentary and building history of the church. The aim was to examine the wall paintings as more than simple examples of medieval art and to place them within the wider context of the parish’s history.¹ The results were both surprising and more far-reaching than anyone had first anticipated.
This volume investigates the physical evidence for magic in medieval and modern Britain, includin... more This volume investigates the physical evidence for magic in medieval and modern Britain, including ritual mark, concealed objects, amulets, and magical equipment. The contributors are the current experts in each area of the subject, and show between them how ample the evidence is and how important it is for an understanding of history.
Oxford Handbook of Later Medieval Archaeology, Jan 2018
Although the study of medieval church graffiti inscriptions has a long pedigree, recent large-sc... more Although the study of medieval church graffiti inscriptions has a long pedigree, recent
large-scale surveys have brought to light tens of thousands of previously unknown
examples. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the new discoveries is the fact that the
vast majority of these early graffiti, where intelligible, have been shown to have distinctly
spiritual, devotional, or votive meaning. Whilst the most obvious of these take the form of
prayers or invocations, sometimes written in the conventional Latin forms of the
Orthodox Church, many others appear to have been created in non-traditional forms. Vast
numbers of these early inscriptions appear to reflect aspects of lay piety and belief,
having an apotropaic function, and represent a personal interaction between parishioner
and the medieval church. Taken together they indicate that medieval graffiti were
regarded as both accepted and acceptable forms of devotion.
Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our histori... more Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our historic monuments for centuries - intrigue and fascinate, but have only recently become the object of a heritage interest, beyond the curiosity they have always aroused. They form a heterogeneous group, addressing religion, love, sex, war, politics ...
Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our histori... more Graffiti - these marks, drawings or simple signatures that have traveled the walls of our historic monuments for centuries - intrigue and fascinate, but have only recently become the object of a heritage interest, beyond the curiosity they have always aroused. They form a heterogeneous group, addressing religion, love, sex, war, politics ...
in, Cohen, N. & Parton, F., Knole Revealed: Archaeology and Discovery at a Great Country House, 2019
A summary of the findings of the multiple historic graffiti surveys that were undertaken on behal... more A summary of the findings of the multiple historic graffiti surveys that were undertaken on behalf of the National Trust at Knole House, Kent.
Over the past decade, Knole has undertaken the biggest conservation project in the National Trust, supported by a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Norfolk Archaeology Vol 1 (New Series), 2022
Paston Hall in the village of Paston lies in the north-east corner of the county of Norfolk. From... more Paston Hall in the village of Paston lies in the north-east corner of the county of Norfolk. From at least the late 14th century until the early 17th century the hall was home to the Paston family, made famous for their extensive surviving medieval correspondence, first published by Sir John Fenn of East Dereham in the late 18th century. The original hall fell in to ruin in the later 17th century, before being largely demolished in the 18th century, and little is known of its original form and layout. Until recently there was only one known engraving that was believed to depict the ruins of Paston Hall; a small-scale version which was used to illustrate the title page of volume five of the famous Paston Letters, published in 1823. The engraving was attributed to noted artist Josiah Boydell. However, the original larger artwork upon which the engraving was based has now been rediscovered, along with two other depictions of the ruins drawn by Harriet Gunn in the 1840s, allowing the layout of the hall to be deduced.
Archaeometry
Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its incept... more Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its inception in the early 18th century. It is well known that earlier, experimental, architectural stoneware products existed, but few of these have been studied in detail scientifically, and only one major analytical study of Coade stone has appeared in the literature. This paper presents a new spectroscopic analysis of Coade stone along with that of a newly discovered sample from Oxnead Hall in Norfolk where it known that Sir Clement Paston experimented with artificial stone in the late 16th century. The results demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate between the two variants on the basis of both the raw materials used and the different phases formed in their production processes.
Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology, 2024
In the Spring of 2009 a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the... more In the Spring of 2009 a project took place to conserve a series of medieval wall paintings in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Lakenheath. In addition to the process of physical conservation, the Heritage Lottery funded project allowed examination of the documentary and building history of the church. The aim was to attempt to examine the wall paintings as more than simple representations of medieval art and to place them within the wider context of the parish history. The results were both surprising and more far reaching than anyone had first anticipated.
Before work began it was believed that the paintings in St Mary’s consisted of three or four independent and typical decorative schemes, had already been well documented, and that there was little new awaiting discovery. However, conservation revealed that the walls of the church contained at least five separate paint schemes, with the earliest perhaps dating from as far back as the late 12th century, and that several of these schemes appeared to have had their inspiration in, or been reflections of, local conflict. The walls of the church were far more than expressions of religious devotion, they were the physical manifestations of a conflict that separated parish from church, nave from chancel and represented the frontline in a battle between two of the most powerful religious establishments in medieval East Anglia.
It is intended that this report will act as a general summary of the project, detailing the background to the work, the interventions undertaken and discoveries made. This report also contains a summary of the interpretation work undertaken as part of the project and brings together much of the previously scattered material relating to the paintings. Prior to the project the building phases, history and chronology can, at best, be described as confused and contradictory. In one particularly well documented instance the church contained an early 13th century wall painting scheme that had been applied to a wall that , according to the listing documentation, was not built until the middle of the 14th century. A key element to the 2009 project was to try and rationalise the wall painting history with the building phases and develop a more accurate chronology for the building as a whole.
Post-Medieval Archaeology, Volume 57, Issue 1 , 2023
This article examines the post-medieval letter graffiti present at historic sites in the UK, and ... more This article examines the post-medieval letter graffiti present at historic sites in the UK, and carries out a statistical analysis of the markings across multiple sites, with a view to determining authorship and intent. The data from the graffiti inscriptions is also examined within the wider social history context of naming traditions within the UK and elsewhere, and concludes that a measurable and distinct gender bias is present amongst the historical graffiti that has wide reaching implications with regard to concepts of gendered space and social norms.
Norfolk Archaeology XLVIII, 2020
Consecration crosses, sometimes referred to as ‘dedicatory’ or ‘dedication’ crosses, were created... more Consecration crosses, sometimes referred to as ‘dedicatory’ or ‘dedication’ crosses, were created at the time when a church was newly built, and being consecrated for Christian worship. The act of consecration was undertaken by a bishop, who would anoint the new-built walls of the church with holy oil (chrism), twelve times outside, and twelve times inside. The sites so anointed were marked with a form of cross – most usually painted. Norfolk has one of the finest collections of surviving pre-reformation consecration crosses of any county in England, with over ninety extant examples being recorded at forty-six individual sites. This article examines the function and creation of the consecration crosses recorded in Norfolk churches, by comparing the surviving physical evidence with the written sources, and presents a summary of the survivals recorded to date, including their construction details, condition, form, and style.
Church Monuments: the journal of the Church Monument Society, 2018
Whilst the study of church monuments is an extensive field, there is one area of study that has u... more Whilst the study of church monuments is an extensive field, there is one area of study that has until recently seen relatively little scholarly attention, being the study of informal commemorative inscriptions recorded in graffiti. The recent establishment of large scale volunteer-led church graffiti surveys has documented numerous examples of these informal memorials across the whole of the UK, creating a new, and previously almost unknown, corpus of material for study. This article highlights a small selection of these recent discoveries, and offers some interpretation as to the motivation behind their creation.
Norfolk Archaeology, 2017
A medieval Pax was a small tablet or decorated board containing a religious image t... more A medieval Pax was a small tablet or decorated board containing a religious image that was offered to the church congregation to kiss, the 'kiss of peace', prior to their taking communion at Mass. The Pax was one of the most common items of pre-reformation church liturgical equipment, and played a regular and important part within the everyday services of the medieval Church. Many thousands of these items were created, in a variety of media, with examples in wood, glass, ivory, brass and silver-gilt having once been present within English parish churches. However, today less than a dozen identifiable English examples are known to survive. This article sets out to examine the largely overlooked role of the Pax within the late medieval English Church, their use within church communities and their decline within the framework of
the English reformation. In addition, this article highlights the recent rediscovery of a previously unknown late medieval Pax that was re-used as a component within a memorial brass located in St George's church, South Acre, Norfolk.
Norfolk Archaeology, 2011
The Norfolk Medieval Graffiti survey was established in early 2010 with the intention of undertak... more The Norfolk Medieval Graffiti survey was established in early 2010 with the intention of undertaking the first large-scale systematic survey of pre-reformation graffiti inscriptions in England. One of the first surveys undertaken by the community archaeology project in Norfolk was at All Saints’ church, Litcham. Although the church had already been identified as containing graffiti inscriptions, the new survey demonstrated that the building contained far higher concentrations of inscriptions than previously believed.
The west front of Binham Priory church, built in the decade before 1244, has the earliest survivi... more The west front of Binham Priory church, built in the decade before 1244, has the earliest surviving bar tracery in England, slightly preceding Westminster Abbey’s, built from 1245. The central window was bricked up in the later 18th century, and evidence for its detailed appearance has hitherto come from contradictory graphic sources. One suggests that it had four lights; the other that it had eight. In October 2010, what appeared to be incised tracery designs were discovered on internal walls of the church. This article describes them and concludes that they were intended as designs for the west window, and that, on balance, they suggest that the west window had eight lights, and was thus even more magnificent than it is currently believed to have been.
The traditional story of St Leonard’s church in Flamstead is that the church dates from the early... more The traditional story of St Leonard’s church in Flamstead is that the church dates from the early twelfth century, and that it replaced a timber church or chapel that dated back to before the Norman conquest. However, in recent years some doubts have been cast upon the traditional narrative.
The purpose of this survey was to undertake a detailed evaluation and study of the visible fabric of the Grade I listed church, with a view to identifying construction techniques and building phases, and thereby gain a fuller understanding of the chronological development of the site. Making it possible to suggest a more accurate phasing of the visible construction periods. The survey was undertaken as part of a wider National Lottery Heritage Fund conservation and restoration project, with a view to informing the future interpretation of the site.
The fabric surveys concluded that the earliest surviving fabric present in the current church is that of the tower, which dates between c.1190-c.1210, and that the majority of the rest of the church was built in two major construction phase – the first in the early thirteenth century, which was responsible for the elaborately carved arcade capitals, with a second construction phase which saw the large-scale rebuilding of the chancel and north aisle in the fourteenth century. The survey also identified a hitherto largely overlooked construction phase belonging to the second half of the seventeenth century.
The results of a non-invasive level 3 photographic and measured raking light survey of the access... more The results of a non-invasive level 3 photographic and measured raking light survey of the accessible areas of St Leonard’s church, Flamstead. The purpose of the present survey was to record the location and details of the graffiti, and to assess their origin and the information presented by these drawings and texts, as part of a wider National Lottery Heritage Fund conservation and restoration project.
National Trust Research Report, 2022
The Ballroom (F138), Second Painted Stair Lobby (F139), Reynolds Room (F140), and Cartoon Gallery... more The Ballroom (F138), Second Painted Stair Lobby (F139), Reynolds Room (F140), and Cartoon Gallery (F141) (including associated void spaces) were surveyed for graffiti inscriptions as part of an on-going project of building recording at Knole, commissioned by the National Trust. The survey was undertaken using a variety of light sources, with all inscriptions being digitally recorded to create a permanent photographic record. At the time of the survey the Ballroom and Cartoon Gallery were undergoing extensive conservation and restoration work, with the wooden panelling of the Ballroom being in the process of being removed, exposing the earlier fabric beneath. The general level of inscriptions in the survey areas was low, with the exception of specific concentrations on the Ballroom fireplace, the Reynolds Room door surround, and the lead covered window sills in the Second Painted Stair Lobby and Reynolds Room. The medieval door surround in the Reynolds Room displayed a significant number of early text inscriptions that may date back to the period of Bourchier occupation, and is the subject of a separate report. At the time of the survey limited access was available to the Cartoon Gallery void spaces, where a significant number of inscriptions and markings were recorded, as well as allowing access to elements of the original medieval structure not normally visible. Full details of the historic fabric are to be found in the Oxford Archaeology Report ‘Knole: An Archaeological Survey’ (June 2007). The fieldwork was undertaken in September 2016.
National Trust Research Report, 2018
The results of a raking light scaled photographic graffiti survey of the medieval door surround l... more The results of a raking light scaled photographic graffiti survey of the medieval door surround located between the Reynold’s Room (F140) and Second Painted Stair lobby (F139), Knole, on behalf of the National Trust.
National Trust research report, 2022
Addendum to Knole: Kings Room Area buildings survey. Schematic of Tudor window structure located ... more Addendum to Knole: Kings Room Area buildings survey. Schematic of Tudor window structure located in the King's Cupboard.
National Trust research report, 2022
The area of this survey comprised the first floor of the King’s Tower, know today as the King’s R... more The area of this survey comprised the first floor of the King’s Tower, know today as the King’s Room (F147), the entrance passageway (F145) leading from the Cartoon Gallery, the storage space to the east of the entrance passageway known as the Kings Cupboard (F144), and the storage space to the west of the entrance passageway, known as the King’s Closet (F146). Inside the eastern storage area (F144) is a large glazed window of six panels that is now entirely concealed within the later fabric, and elements of a significant timber framed structure. Particular attention is paid to the possible origin and significance of this structure. It is concluded that the window and associated timber frame are elements of a pre-Sackville construction phase, and formed a small section of the south wall of the southern range and a projecting stair turret. It is believed that the stair turret most likely belongs to construction phases 2B or 3 (sixteenth century).
The west front of Binham priory, Norfolk, was constructed in the first half of the thirteenth cen... more The west front of Binham priory, Norfolk, was constructed in the first half of the thirteenth century, and represents the very earliest use of bar tracery anywhere in England - pre-dating that at Westminster Abbey by almost a decade. However, the window failed in the late eighteenth century, and was bricked up in stages, leaving many questions as to how it would have originally looked. This reconstruction is based upon multiple sources of evidence, including the master masons own sketches, to reconstruct how it would have appeared shortly after being first built.
This report outlines the underfloor archaeology aspects of part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project... more This report outlines the underfloor archaeology aspects of part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, undertaken by the National Trust, and supported by a number of external contractors and specialists. The wider project focused upon carrying out a series of large-scale repairs and investigations into the roof structure of the property, following the structural failure of a dormer window on the east face of the western range in 2016. The project involved the removal of the roof covering at the site, and the replacement and/or repair of structural timbers, as well as repairs and replacement of various sections of brickwork, including the nineteenth century chimneys. The works allowed access to areas of the building that would normally be impossible to inspect, and offered a unique opportunity to undertake detailed archaeological investigations. The urgent nature of the identified structural problems required that the project continue despite challenging external circumstances.
The fieldwork for the under-floor archaeology aspects of this report took place during the Spring and Summer of 2020, and was carried out under full social distancing guidelines.
This report outlines the investigation of the graffiti and other inscriptions/markings recorded a... more This report outlines the investigation of the graffiti and other inscriptions/markings recorded as part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, undertaken by the National Trust, and supported by a number of external contractors and specialists. The graffiti recording was an extension of a volunteer-led project already being undertaken by the National Trust. The fieldwork for the investigative aspects of this report took place during the Spring and Summer of 2020, and was carried out under full social distancing guidelines. The inscriptions recorded as part of this project were limited to the east, west, and north ranges of the property, excluding the Gatehouse and building exterior. It is anticipated that the volunteer survey of the Gatehouse graffiti inscriptions will be completed once the limitations and restrictions associated with the covid-19 pandemic have been lifted.
This report outlines the investigation into the construction history aspects of part of the ‘Rais... more This report outlines the investigation into the construction history aspects of part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, undertaken by the National Trust, and supported by a number of external contractors and specialists, and specifically examines the construction of the attic floor frames, and carpenter’s marks, present on the structure.
Appendix to report MJC2021.2 Floor Frames Appendix 1. Schematics of floor frame plans.
Appendix to the following report, and to be read in conjunction with each other. This report outl... more Appendix to the following report, and to be read in conjunction with each other. This report outlines the investigation into the construction chronology aspects of part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, undertaken by the National Trust, and supported by a number of external contractors and specialists. The wider project focussed upon carrying out a series of large-scale repairs and investigations into the roof structure of the property, following the structural failure of a dormer window on the east face of the western range in 2016. The project involved the removal of the roof covering at the site, and the replacement and/or repair of structural timbers, as well as repairs and replacement of various sections of brickwork, including the nineteenth century chimneys. The works allowed access to areas of the building that would normally be impossible to inspect, and offered a unique opportunity to undertake detailed archaeological investigations. The urgent nature of the identified structural problems required that the project continue despite challenging external circumstances.
This report outlines the investigation into the construction chronology aspects of part of the ‘R... more This report outlines the investigation into the construction chronology aspects of part of the ‘Raising the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, undertaken by the National Trust, and supported by a number of external contractors and specialists. The wider project focussed upon carrying out a series of large-scale repairs and investigations into the roof structure of the property, following the structural failure of a dormer window on the east face of the western range in 2016. The project involved the removal of the roof covering at the site, and the replacement and/or repair of structural timbers, as well as repairs and replacement of various sections of brickwork, including the nineteenth century chimneys. The works allowed access to areas of the building that would normally be impossible to inspect, and offered a unique opportunity to undertake detailed archaeological investigations. The urgent nature of the identified structural problems required that the project continue despite challenging external circumstances.
Whilst carrying out further observations of the river Wensum at Great Ryburgh in the Autumn of 20... more Whilst carrying out further observations of the river Wensum at Great Ryburgh in the Autumn of 2020, it was noted that recent damage had occurred to both of the piers of the current bridge across the river. The recent flooding had caused the brick and concrete casing to the piers to become dislodged. This had exposed the core materials beneath, which indicate it is largely made up of flint rubble and brickwork. It was noted that the bricks were of an early form, typical of the period 1450-1500, and appeared to be in situ. It therefore appears likely that the flooding has exposed surviving elements of the ‘great bridge’ mentioned in the deed between John, Prior of Walsingham, and Thomas Geyton and John Mylle in 1481.
The results of a raking light photographic survey of the Ashburnham Tower at Scotney Castle, unde... more The results of a raking light photographic survey of the Ashburnham Tower at Scotney Castle, undertaken on behalf of the National Trust, with the objective of identifying and recording the graffiti and applied markings present within the structure. A superficial examination was also made of the other buildings at the site. A number of previously unrecorded features were noted, including the possible presence of late C14th handgun loops in the lower stages of the Ashburnham Tower. The fieldwork for the survey was undertaken in March 2020.
The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at Wic... more The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at Wickham Manor Barn, Winchelsea, undertaken on behalf of the National Trust.
The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at the... more The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at the Smallhythe Place (including the Barn Theatre) and The Priest’s House, Smallhythe, undertaken on behalf of the National Trust.
The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at Tud... more The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at Tudor Cottage, Chiddingstone, undertaken on behalf of the National Trust.
The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at the... more The results of a non-invasive photographic survey of graffiti and related markings located at the Old Manor, Chiddingstone, undertaken on behalf of the National Trust.
The results of a raking light graffiti survey undertaken by National Trust volunteers at The Stab... more The results of a raking light graffiti survey undertaken by National Trust volunteers at The Stable Block, Belton House, Belton, Lincolnshire. The survey work was undertaken during 2016 and early 2017. The survey recorded a large number of graffiti inscriptions, largely confined to one elevation of the building, and with the bulk of the inscriptions dated to the second half of the eighteenth and opening decades of the nineteenth centuries. The inscriptions consisted of a large number of initials and dates, although a high number of markings were recorded that are interpreted as ritual protection marks. Over five hundred individual inscriptions were recorded on 138 individual stones.
Interpretive display boards created for use in the church of St Mary, Troston, Suffolk, as part o... more Interpretive display boards created for use in the church of St Mary, Troston, Suffolk, as part of a programme of activities to encourage public participation in the on-going conservation of the church.
Flame-shaped marks on timbers in old houses are common: they look like accidents with candles, bu... more Flame-shaped marks on timbers in old houses are common: they look like accidents with candles, but there is another, stranger explanation.
In 1486 the Maltese cleric Andreas de Bisconis was charged with making an indecent proposal to lo... more In 1486 the Maltese cleric Andreas de Bisconis was charged with making an indecent proposal to local woman Jacobi Saliba, whilst she was at prayer in the church of St James. Bisconis denied the charge, claimed that in the darkness of the church he had mistaken Saliba for a prostitute of his acquaintance. However, evidence was brought before the court that Bisconis had detailed his intentions towards Saliba in a graffiti inscription that he had made on the wall of the church. As the court case makes clear, the jury had no issues with the creation of the graffiti inscription, but only its content. As a result Bisconis was found guilty and spent two years in prison.
Today graffiti inscriptions are widely regarded as being destructive in nature, subversive, and are often equated to acts of vandalism. This paper aims to examine these beliefs within the wider historical context, to demonstrate that this concept is a purely modern construct. Drawing upon a variety of documentary and pictorial evidence, as well as upon historic inscriptions themselves, the paper examines and documents the changing attitudes towards historic graffiti across the last six centuries. In doing so this paper questions whether our own perceptions of illegitimacy associated with historic graffiti have biased our interpretations of the subject material, to the detriment of modern graffiti studies.
Flamstead Heritage Project, 2023
Matt Champion, an expert and author on the subject, talks about the significance of the mediaeval... more Matt Champion, an expert and author on the subject, talks about the significance of the mediaeval graffiti at St Leonard's church, Flamstead, Hertfordshire and shows how surveys are carried out.
Archaeometry, 2022
Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its incept... more Coade stone has played a significant role in architectural and ornamental design since its inception in the early 18th century. It is well known that earlier, experimental, architectural stoneware products existed, but few of these have been studied in detail scientifically, and only one major analytical study of Coade stone has appeared in the literature. This paper presents a new spectroscopic analysis of Coade stone along with that of a newly discovered sample from Oxnead Hall in Norfolk where it known that Sir Clement Paston experimented with artificial stone in the late 16th century. The results demonstrate that it is possible to differentiate between the two variants on the basis of both the raw materials used and the different phases formed in their production processes.
Poster presentation created for the Making Your Mark 2022 Conference, held at the University of Y... more Poster presentation created for the Making Your Mark 2022 Conference, held at the University of York in November 2022, detailing the graffiti inscriptions from St Peter's church, Belaugh, Norfolk.
Poster presentation created for the Making Your Mark 2022 conference, held at the University of Y... more Poster presentation created for the Making Your Mark 2022 conference, held at the University of York in November 2022, outlining the work of the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey.
N/A, 2023
This short paper examines the development of one specific area of new belief-the development of t... more This short paper examines the development of one specific area of new belief-the development of the concept of 'ritual protection marks', more commonly mis-referred to as 'witch marks'-charting how one particular area of fringe archaeological study has become both selfreinforcing, and accepted within wider areas of academic study, the media, and the general public. By detailing the chronological evolution of the beliefs associated with just one small subset of these ritual markings, this paper hopes to demonstrate how cognitive bias related to misinformation beliefs has resulted in the development of an entire framework of academically accepted beliefs that are ultimately without foundation. By demonstrating how such beliefs have evolved in even recent decades, it is hoped that it will be a catalyst to reexamining our attitudes and interpretations of the evolution of earlier systems of belief.
The symbol of the Ragged Staff is common amongst late medieval and Tudor iconography, appearing i... more The symbol of the Ragged Staff is common amongst late medieval and Tudor iconography, appearing in wall paintings, graffiti and amongst object of material culture. In almost all cases, and most particularly amongst the small lead alloy badges to be found in several major museum collections, the symbol has been identified as relating to the livery of the once powerful Earls of Warwick. However, a multidisciplinary analysis of the surviving examples strongly suggests that the symbol has been misidentified, and that the majority of examples were religious in nature, being specifically linked to concepts of resurrection, rebirth, the cult of St Christopher and by extension, the act of medieval pilgrimage. This paper examines the evidence for these conclusions via an analysis of the visual and material culture of the period, and proposes a more nuanced and multi-stranded view of the interpretation of religious iconography of the period.