Whilst studying English Local History through the Department of Continuing Education at Oxford University, I had the delight of visiting St James the Greater, South Leigh to see their medieval wall paintings. They were absolutely stunning.

St James the Great Church in South Leigh, Oxfordshire, is a Norman parish church known for its exceptional medieval wall paintings which were discovered in 1869. The most significant piece is the Doom painting above the chancel arch depicting the Day of Judgement with the jaws of hell depicted as a gaping monster. Additional paintings include the Seven Deadly Sins and St Clement of Rome, making this church one of England’s most important repositories of pre-Reformation religious art. These paintings, which survived centuries hidden beneath whitewash, were restored during the Victorian period, and some controversy surrounds the enlargement of certain scenes during the restoration process.