The medieval painted rood screen at Ranworth in Norfolk - a video tour of its iconography

In this video, I give you a tour of one of the most important artifacts to survive from fifteenth-century England, the painted rood screen at Ranworth in Norfolk. Dating from the 1470s and 80s, it is an exquisite example of late medieval painters' skill - a riot of colour, with numerous images of the saints.

[@ButterBobBriggs]

Wow!!! I especially loved the icons of holy women St. Mary Cleopas, the Theotokos and St. Salome with their children. The hymn of the myrrh-bearing women is my favorite at Sunday Orthros. The stripped down modern church has lost the prominent and holy role of the feminine that the ancient church once held in the highest possible honor. This church is incredible, thank you.

[@allanbarton]

It has, it is no surprise given that stripped-down feel, that western people think the Church considers women to be subjugated. That is not classic Christianity at all - and here at Ranworth women are given their proper honour in the iconographical scheme.

[@160rpm]

@@allanbarton Quite a good point there. It does make protestantism seem rather reactionary, at the very least it doesn't seem to have improved things in this regard

[@aadildesai]

So very beautiful and so glad it's survived and maintained so well too. Thanks for sharing this lovely video here.

[@allanbarton]

My pleasure, it is a very extraordinary thing - you should visit too when you get to Hales, the two are not far away.

[@aadildesai]

@@allanbarton sure will do that when I can make it there.

[@rhiannonpoole6019]

Thank you again for an ezcellent video. What an astonishing survival this is, and the book as well. How those figures must have glowed when first painted, what a joy to worship there.

[@stevedunn3113]

So high up my bucket list that I cannot believe that I still haven't visited. Thank you, Allan.

[@allanbarton]

You must go when you can Steve, Barton Turf is not far down the road too - equally splendid.

[@bachdon]

allan, your videos are my favorite thing in all of youtube..excellent as always.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@marcierichie5644]

What a remarkable site! I’m sure I could be in the church for hours and not fully take in all the intriguing detail and iconography.

[@penelopehammerton2907]

A double Wow! Very remarkable. Thank you for sharing and your knowledgeable commentary.

[@allanbarton]

It is an amazing screen and my pleasure to bring it to an appreciative audience! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@stephanieking4444]

Amazing. I am really enjoying your Iconography playlist. Thank you.

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@annettewillis2797]

Very interesting Allan! The scratching out of the face seems to go across all faiths when it comes to anti iconoclasm. What an extraordinary rood screen, despite the violence it has witnessed. It certainly must have been odd for some going to worship in a church frequented by individuals who carried out such vandalism! That the screen has survived is miraculous.

[@mirellaczajkowska-turek5819]

Incredibly beautiful. Thanks

[@allanbarton]

My pleasure.

[@andrewscurr1725]

I remember being blown away when I saw it a few years ago.

[@allanbarton]

Me too and the Sarum manuscript is just the icing on an already very splendid cake.

[@deniseatkins9407]

How beautiful how much we lost. You might want to come to Grimsby and look at Saint Mary's of Old Clee the tower is Anglo Saxon on the outside just above the door is a stone that looks like the side profile of a man he is known as the old man if Clee. On the inside is a cross and a fish incorporated in the tower stonework. There is also reminents of a painting on the wall of one of the trancepts. She's a beautiful church and is considered our family church

[@allanbarton]

Hello Denise. I know it well, I was born in Cleethorpes, grew up in Tetney and went to school in Waltham. It is a splendid church. It also has an inscription saying that the church was consecrated by St Hugh of Lincoln - well the later bit was that's not Saxon.

[@deniseatkins9407]

It does on one of the pillars I was confirmed there so was given a lot of history on the place during lessons I was also a member of the choir until a member of the mother's union had an issue with my tomboy look

[@yfrontsguy]

Such wonderrul colours they had in mediaeval times !

[@richardkeen1996]

Outstanding!! I am really enjoying your posting and the mine of information you give on our medieval churches. I'm curious as to how these Norfolk churches avoided the disfigurement or destruction of the painted images on the rood screens? Given that Protestantism and the free church movement was strong in East Anglia, it seems even more surprising. Can you offer some thoughts on this please.

[@peterkrauss6962]

Fantastic

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@388Caroline]

Thank you 🙏 This is just amazing. It’s a well loved church. So, did medieval parishioners use the side altars during Mass?

[@Xanaseb]

Jaw dropping!

[@allanbarton]

It really is. I am always staggered by it every time I see it.

[@celiaparker6166]

Is anything known of how it survived Reformation iconoclasm?

[@allanbarton]

I don't think there is - my suspicion is that it was whitewashed, but I don't have any evidence for that, and nothing I've read suggests it was. It was already well known in the 19th century - in1867 a volume of drawings was published on it.

[@alvanrigby6361]

How on Earth did this survive the Reformation?

[@marokel8476]

Bring this back to all Catholicism