The York Research Database

The wall paintings of Pickering church have long been acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved examples of a fifteenth scheme to be rediscovered in the mid-19th century. However, the actions of contemporary clergy, who initially attempted to destroy and later restore and conserve the paintings, have meant that their significance and meaning has often been overlooked by those largely concerned with the authenticity and aesthetics of such schemes. This book provides the first detailed analysis of the discovery, restoration and conservation of the paintings from an archaeological perspective. Taking a biographical approach to the building and the story, it unreels the layers of Pickering's story to reveal how its story sheds light on the historiography of wall paintings and the story of the parish church, and how the Victorian restoration nonetheless preserved a unique meaning of the medieval scheme. By telling the story of this remarkable North Yorkshire church, the book also makes the case for greater study and storytelling of the English parish church.