Rare Anglo-Saxon ‘rood’ in Hampshire successfully restored

A rare and hidden Anglo-Saxon “rood” contained within a “medieval virtual reality box” has been conserved to the excitement of academics.

Dr Miriam Gill, a scholar with expertise in late medieval wall paintings, has written a report on the imagery in St Mary’s Church in Breamore, Hampshire, and described it as a “significant and important” work of art.

She said that at the time of its creation, depictions of the suffering of Christ were only starting to appear, so the “violence” was new to worshippers.

Her input has increased the knowledge of the life-sized bas-relief from the 11th century that shows Christ crucified with Mary and John on either side.

It is contained inside a hidden “loft” chapel above the porch and is illuminated from a window opposite.

The rood – an ancient word for cross – and associated later paintings are on the upper walls of the south porch because that room was used as a chapel in the Middle Ages. Worshippers stood on the same level as the imagery, magnifying its presence considerably.

The rood and wall paintings are largely unknown because of the church’s rural location and the artwork’s hidden position.

Peter Martindale, an expert conservator, spent a month on the project, securing flaking paint and areas of detached plaster, removing microbiological growth and filling cracks.

Originally displayed within the church, the rood was moved in the 14th or 15th centuries to its current position. The other walls were then painted and the images included a depiction of Judas hanging from a tree, and drops of blood.

The small, enclosed space enabled people to contemplate Christ’s suffering and perhaps their own mortality in a charged religious atmosphere. Its hidden location did not protect the rood. In the 16th century, it was defaced but the figures remain and Christ can be seen in pain on the cross.

Dr Gill said: “This is extraordinary – a significant and important work of art, with extra resonance at Easter.

“Before the 10th and 11th centuries, you didn’t get many realistic depictions of Christ’s suffering, and this rood comes from the time when people are starting to depict the violence.

“When it was moved from the church to the porch, it was already hundreds of years old and it was then given a new scheme all around it – it was refurbished. The cross was given an elaborate landscape and countryside setting with trees, hills and distant buildings.

“The rood was likely defaced after 1547, when orders came down to destroy things like this because they were considered religiously wrong during the Reformation.

Mr Martindale said: “It would have been an incredible religious space and it was like nothing I’ve felt before – it must have been like a medieval virtual reality box.

“After the rood was moved to the porch – a huge task – the other walls were painted and included a depiction of Judas and sacred monograms. Dozens of drops of fictive blood, a reminder of Christ’s passion, adorn the walls, and there is a fascinating trace of painted text.

“The purpose of these vivid depictions would have been created to aid contemplation of Christ’s suffering and his ultimate gift to us all. The figures were carved from limestone, then painted in bright colours which are something that we don’t usually associate with our churches today.

“To work on something almost 1,000 years old, which has such a history, is a great privilege. It had been conserved in 1980, but required some more work to keep it stable.”

The careful conservation measures will ensure its survival for many more years.

Andy Finch, the church warden, said: “It is an astonishing survivor, a leap back to the Christianity practised in the church a thousand years ago. We feel that it is our responsibility to ensure this Anglo-Saxon rood is there for the next generation.

“It is a unique work of art and something that has been greatly revered along with the other Anglo-Saxon features and detail that we have.”

St Mary’s was built under Ethelred II the Unready and is an extremely rare “turriform” church, built around a central tower. It has a number of rare Saxon features including an inscription above a door that reads “HER SWUTELATH SEO GECWYDRAEDNES THE’’ which means “here the covenant is manifested to thee”.