Medieval Graffiti in England

Images of compasses, windmills, sundials, circles, ships and much more were doodled onto medieval church walls by in massive numbers. A new book tells the story of this medieval graffiti

In 2010 Matt Champion started registering graffiti in medieval churches. In 2014 he revealed that more than 28.000 images had so far been recorded from Norfolk even though only a third of the Cathedral itself had so far been inspected. Since then a popular movement has been growing all over England. In short: it has become a very popular local sport to re-discover and document these delightful drawings. A new book by medieval archaeologist, Michael Champion tells the story.

Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of England’s Churches 
by Matthew Champion
Ebury Press 2015
ISBN-10: 009196041X
ISBN-13: 978-0091960414

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.

READ MORE:

A survey of medieval churches in Suffolk is just about to be launched, and anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the project is invited to visit www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk

FEATURED PHOTO:

Ship from Wiveton church on the north Norfolk coast. © www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk