The Antiquary - Issue 7, February 2023 - printed copy. 28-page A5 magazine
The churches of Norfolk contain one of the most remarkable collections of late medieval art in Western Europe – they are a series of panel paintings that are incorporated into screen work, most notably rood, or as they are more properly called chancel screens. Some of these paintings are of such fine quality that they are of international importance, and if they were hung in an art gallery in a major city, they would be well known and acclaimed – but because they are to be found in out of the way and rather isolated churches, they are not appreciated as much as they ought to be. In this issue of The Antiquary, we want to share with you a selection of examples of this great artistic legacy, to give some sense of their significance and purpose, and the motives behind their creation. In many cases, these works of art, like our medieval churches in England in general, are now very fragile indeed and in many cases in a perilous condition. Unless they become better known, we are in very great danger of losing not only an artistic treasure but important source material for the religious and social life of our medieval ancestors.