Medieval graffiti uncovered in a church in the UK town of Winchester could shed new light on people’s responses to the Black Death, an expert has told The Telegraph.
The graffiti was discovered in a tower at St John’s Church as part of a broader survey of medieval graffiti. As well as images of people – on horseback and on foot, a stylised bird and pictures aimed at warding off witchcraft, the graffiti also reportedly includes the names of bellringers and builders.
The graffiti in the tower, added to the 12th century church in the 14th century, dates from between the 14th and 16th centuries.
Medieval graffiti specialist Matthew Champion told the newspaper that the graffiti “sometimes” spoke of those who survived the Black Death, which devastated Winchester in 1348.
“There’s the idea that you might not be around,” he said. “In the Black Death, people are wiped out. They wanted to leave a permanent mark. They knew that paper, life and normal society was insubstantial, so they inscribed on the structure that they knew would be the same, the church.”
Curate Rev Christine Smith described the find as “really exciting”.
