Medieval wall paintings uncovered at Cambridge University

They were found by builders working at Christ's College.

It’s believed the works have been hidden for almost three centuries. 

Three crowned motifs on a plain white background, likely to date from the early sixteenth century, show a red Lancastrian rose in the centre, with a portcullis to the left, and a fleur-de-lis on the right.

First established as God's House in 1437, and moved to the present site in 1448, the college was re-founded as Christ’s College in 1505 by Henry VII’s mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. 

The portcullis was the badge of the Beaufort family.

Photo: Tobit Curteis Associates

University of Cambridge art historian Dr Christina Faraday:

"This is a really exciting and unusual discovery, revealing the ways that the College celebrated and advertised its royal patron during the early years of the sixteenth century, following its re-founding.

"A powerful and pious woman, with a keen interest in scholarship, Lady Margaret left her indelible mark on the College, and the wall paintings are an early example of her family’s savvy use of visual ‘branding’ even beyond the royal court.

"Henry VII had a very weak claim to the throne, but became adept at using visual symbols like this to promote his kingship.

"The motifs continue to be tied up with the College’s identity to this day, but as an early example of Tudor ‘marketing’, the wall paintings demonstrate the long history of something we think of as a modern phenomenon."

After the discovery was made, the College delved into its archives and found that the last known recorded sight of the wall paintings was around 1738.

The covered location in the roof space has allowed the wall paintings to survive, but means they will not be on general view.

Photo: Christ's College, Cambridge, Graham CopeKoga

The College has taken specialist advice about how to protect and conserve the paintings.