The Medieval Painted Church at Slapton in Northamptonshire

#medievalart #medievalhistory #reformation #iconography
What did medieval churches look like before the English Reformation? Well, Slapton in Northamptonshire has a delightful old church that provides a little insight into this. A very simple, rural parish church, the inside is covered in a series of remarkable wall paintings of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries with images of the saints and iconography that enriched the interior and taught the Catholic faith. Come and explore them with me.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @allanbarton

[@nannynan5893]

How fortunate we are that the elements of your personality, patience and generosity, have given us these excerpts of your vast knowledge. Thank you sincerely for sharing your years of study. Always clear, always fascinating.

[@stepps511]

Thank you, Allan! One can only imagine your great delight and awe at being able to view these marvelous paintings at Slapton Church. England has a treasure trove in its churches both great and small, and this lovely building and its decoration is one that must hold pride of place. Again, thank you, and bless your ongoing efforts.

[@carolinegreenwell9086]

incredible they've survived so long

[@Contessa6363]

Excellent video! I am Catholic and I have visited many churches and Cathedrals around Europe. Sometimes some of the churches like this one are the most beautiful ❤️❤️

[@Marjorie-yt7pb]

You are a wonderful narrator . Thanks again !

[@jamesallison4875]

Isn’t he! I enjoy his videos so much.

[@Marjorie-yt7pb]

@@jamesallison4875 they are like those stainedglass windows ....beautiful , colourful glimpses into the past✨️

[@The3Kosmos3]

It's great to see these Medieval paintings. Where I live, St. Eligius is the town's patron saint.

[@jilltagmorris]

Best content on you tube!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@orlando1a1]

The contrast you made of the May birdsong at the end, to that of the silent eloquence of those gorgeous wall paintings, was poetic, Allan. Thank you for a wonderful video.

[@davidd6171]

Well done Allan! The crispness of the video and all of the atmospheric audio makes me feel like I am actually there!

[@allanbarton]

Thanks David, I’m glad I’ve captured the feel of it. It was wonderful to be there.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Absolutely splendid, and, yes, so very touching and human, as you say. I would love it if my church in British Columbia, with its tall, whitewashed concrete walls, blackened with decades of soot from thuribles - were adorned with depictions from Scripture and church history, painted by talented members or residents of the parish. We're a visual species - I believe our experience of the transcendent is enlivened by the visual arts. Thanks for all you do.

[@allanbarton]

It would be great to live in an age in which church wall paintings and more widespread church art was the norm! But here in Britain we are blessed with many survivals of such from history, if you know where to go looking. It’s great to be able to share them in this way, especially with those who live in places without them!

[@michaelhealy1590]

Allan, It is so great that your 'lessons' blend both architecture, history, and simple religious instruction without being overly didactic. Always a pleasure with see your new content or that which i have not previously seen.

[@allanbarton]

Thanks very much! Glad you’re enjoying the videos ☺️

[@danielkarmy4893]

I hope very much that in twenty years, when I too am in my late forties, I too remain fascinated by the beautiful things in this life and eager to discover and learn more, more, and more. Then somewhere, I'm sure, will be a man in his late sixties, still as youthful and awe-inspired as ever...

[@ferdi5407]

This is awe inspiring. A miracle that these paintings survived. Truly a Holy gift to all who can view them

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed this!

[@user-wk1mw9nj3i76]

Very interesting, with a poetic mood of remembrance. Appreciate this from Minnesota, USA.

[@annettewillis2797]

This church is a treasure trove Allan. Such a beautiful insight into the strong devotions of the people of Slapton. Thank you so much for sharing these images and your insights. Much appreciated. The bird song was very beautiful too!

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@carolescutt2257]

I actually felt like I could hear you 'chuckle with delight' how lovely just like the medieval free hand expression in all its mermaid glory 😊😊 thank you Sir x

[@m.birdwell2567]

Thank you, sir, from across the pond. The near ubiquitous tangible history that surrounds you Brits & the Continentals has always been a source of envy from my perspective and I've thoroughlyenjoyedthetime I'vebeenable to spend over there. Thanks for bringing some of these gems to film in an approachable yet articulate format. Cheers.

[@allanbarton]

It’s wonderful to be able to share these treasures in this way, so glad you enjoyed this video!

[@rodneybaldwin2278]

As always a wonderful and educational posting. Thank you so much Alan for all your hard work and enthusiasm

[@robertfletcher3421]

To walk into a medieval church to celebrate Mass must have been awe-inspiring. Today, it sadly is the shadow of its former self.

[@desafrique53]

Slapton may now be off your bucket list, but now it's on mine! Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tonyharpur8383]

Allan, I've seen large paintings of St Christopher on the exterior of chapels and churches in Graubunden canton. The image inside Slapton church may suggest why small medieval churches in Ireland only had a single door, facing south, perhaps with a St Christopher image facing it from the north wall. Thank you for a lovely video.

[@elizabethsands4470]

Hello Allan! It’s so very beautiful to hear you tell the stories of the vast number we found.Arag❤

[@jonnyvalentinevideos]

Fabulous as ever, thank you. If you are ever in South Wales the wonderful wall paintings of Llancafan may well be worth a video.

[@okiejammer2736]

Ahh. SO delightful the birdsong and this profound 'find'! Thank you so much and best to you and yours from Oklahoma. 🇺🇲

[@allanbarton]

Thanks very much, glad you appreciated the video!

[@stevedunn3113]

as you know, we visited a couple of months ago. possibly the finest medieval small church I've ever visited. Thank you for taking me back again!

[@rhiannonpoole6019]

Thank you so much. This is one of your best ever videos, not just for the wonderful paintings but for your erudite and sensitive commentary. I really appreciate the way you don't talk down to your audience. This church would make a lovely article for The Antiquary, hint hint.....

[@dianespears6057]

Striking and fascinating! Thank you.

[@NomadAwake]

Thank you Allan, another wonderful video! 😁🙏

[@NinaHansen2008]

I very much enjoy your videos.

[@penelopehammerton2907]

Thank you Alan, very informative as always, much appreciated.

[@judycater2832]

Thank you for a wonderful video. ❤❤❤

[@Crub837]

Thanks Allan!✌️

[@williamevans9426]

To think that some of these images, made of simple natural pigments, have survived (albeit partly) for some eight centuries!

[@caili999]

What a blessing. Christ be with you all.

[@allanbarton]

And also with you! Glad you appreciated this.

[@davidspice7193]

Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm for history on your channel. I hope that at some point in the near future, AI can be used to virtually reconstruct the surviving wall paintings and show how the medieval congregations would have seen the interior of churches.

[@educanassa100]

Amazing vídeo, Allan

[@e24mpwr]

What a lovely documentation

[@ChrisHunt4497]

What a beautiful church. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@allanbarton]

Glad you liked it!

[@gammamaster1894]

If painted churches are of interest, the St Michael's and All Angels' in Copford, Essex may be a good one to check out. Even if the painting did suffer some Victorian restoration!

[@conniehopkins6105]

How did these paintings survive the Reformation?

[@allanbarton]

This is a fragment of the array of paintings once gracing the church walls. All covered over with whitewash at the Reformation. Some lost as plaster was removed and then replaced.,

[@davidevans3227]

something attracts me so much about these medieval painted churches thankyou for sharing this 🙂 x some examples here in south wales..

[@ludovica8221]

wow!!

[@EllenCFarmGirl]

❤❤❤❤

[@sgillespie964]

Whenever I see these I always lament what we lost. Be great if someone could do some kind of light show to bring the churches back to life

[@pixbychris3182]

Thank you for this. The paintings are lovely. Alpheton church also has a St Christopher opposite the door. Mildenhall church has quite a lot of wall paintings.

[@kwkw5711]

St Christopher became a protector against sudden death: 'be sure you will not die a bad death on that day, if you look upon an image of St. Christopher' (illa nempe die morte mala non morieris/Cristoferi sancti speciem quicumque tueris); whence all those portraits inside and outside churches.

[@DanWindibank]

Thank you for this wonderful video! A couple of suggestions worth visiting in my view - forgive me if you’ve previously done any videos there: St. Andrew’s, Nether Wallop, Hants - it has some wonderful medieval paintings as well All Saints, Hursley - burial place of Richard Cromwell As a historian, I love seeing all the unique treasures of our country’s churches. So beautiful and really connects me with my past as an Anglican and now a Catholic! Keep up the great work!

[@christinesuccop1812]

Exquisite paintings ❤

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed this ☺️

[@Blade_Daddy]

Excellent

[@allanbarton]

Glad you liked it!

[@csmatthew]

what wonderful survivals, spared from the scrapers

[@allanbarton]

Yes 😅. Glad you liked it!

[@160rpm]

Now that's interesting, these have quite a unique feel to them. Sort of a viking folk style. And I'm glad you explained who the big guy was right away, quite odd to not have Mary there as usual

[@frippp66]

an extraordinary survival

[@anthonyanderson2880]

Thanks for sharing your visit with us. Does the environment/temperature etc have to be maintained at a certain level to preserve the paintings? And is lamp black an ochre colour or it is derived from a lamp? Fascinating video and look into the past. Blessings to all who have congregated at the church throughout history.

[@dragnflei]

Beautiful. I love that this is the people’s art. However did these paintings survive the various periods of iconoclasm? Also, I’d love to know more about how these paintings were conserved.

[@romo9122]

❤🇳🇱

[@alalder1533]

The ancient church of St Agatha at Easby near Richmond in Yorkshire has extensive medieval wall paintings depicting scenes of rural life.

[@allanbarton]

They are very wonderful. I tried to get in last year, first time in twenty years, but the church was unexpectedly locked. I must return.

[@deniseatkins9407]

Wow how beautiful amazing what is hidden under the whitewash that adornes many of our medieval churches today

[@andrewwaldron3667]

Very interesting Allan....... would it have been common for most churches to be decorated like this?

[@allanbarton]

Yes it would - full internal coverage with wallpaintings, some decorative not all figurative, would have been normal.

[@CrowSkeleton]

Huh. I never knew Saint Christopher was huge.

[@hughjohnston]

Truly amazing how the Christian tradition has endured so many years and the very buildings of antiquity are still used for the purpose they were originally constructed for and tell so many tails of our collective tormentous past .

[@peterkrauss6962]

How do protestant people deal with this catholic imagery from week to week?

[@kidmohair8151]

is it safe to assume that these wall paintings suffered from the iconoclasm of the post reformation zealots? (I won't go into how I feel about zealotry)

[@bwilliamleo7872]

The chancel, furnitures and screens in this church are as decent as those medieval paintings. I hope they're still sticking to the old tradition of using the high altar for communion, either facing east or standing at the north end. Those modern Roman V II customs are just pointless, and the so called contemporary language liturgy is tedious.

[@davidniedjaco9869]

Are you Catholic, as in Roman Catholic, by any chance?..God bless Mary protect +++

[@GodsOath_com]

Mary is not the savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior. God said all those images are accursed. Man bears the image of God, not the idols demons use to receive worship.

[@joelhermann3516]

Well, now, these theological arguments are not the purpose of Allan's video. Too many icons have been destroyed over the centuries. Let's grow up and try to understand what our ancestors had for a world view. They were only human, too. ,

[@readmylisp]

Eh ?

[@allanbarton]

Thank you for a robust presentation of your particular brand of theology, it was absolutely the appropriate response to the beauty of these wallpaintings.

[@timhazeltine3256]

Well that is your theological opinion, not a statement of fact.

[@CrowSkeleton]

@@readmylisp buddy has the advantage over some mediaeval peasants of being able to read the Bible to take it joy-crushingly literally, but didn't read Zechariah 7:10, it seems.

[@3mate1]

Does this church still have a congregation and parish pries?

[@allanbarton]

I believe so, I was greeted by a very enthusiastic keyholder who was proud of the church.