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The Murder of Thomas Becket : South Burlingham [St.Edmund], Norfolk (Norwich) C.14/15
Photo:T.Marshall
The painting is now literally dilapidated, by which I mean that the plaster on which it is painted is visibly flaking off. This is not due to indifference on the part of the clergy and congregation, whose efforts to preserve their church are heroic, but their major preoccupation, understandably, is keeping the (thatched) roof on. The painting of the Murder of Becket, ghostly as it is now, must have been very striking at one time. It is remarkable that it still exists at all, given Henry V111s attitude to anything commemorating the saint - all depictions of and even references to him were to be expunged thoroughly from churches.¹
At the far left, a medieval building with both pointed and rounded arches is still just visible. Under a rounded arch, intended for a doorway, Edward Grim, Thomass chaplain, can still be seen standing against a red ochre background. Below him, St. Thomas himself has almost completely gone, but the curve of his body as he kneels before the altar, itself still visible at the extreme left, can just be made out. To the right, the four knights are a little clearer. The leading figure thrusts horizontally towards Becket with a sword (not easy to see). A second behind and slightly to the left strikes dramatically downward towards the saints head with a short sword or dagger. The third figure to the right holds (upright) a battle-axe, and he has been identified as Reginald FitzUrse, from his emblem of a bear painted on his shield, although this detail is no longer visible. A fourth knight beyond draws his sword from its scabbard, and beyond him is a tree, to suggest the movement of the knights from outside and up to the altar.
South Burlingham has other paintings - the remains of a St. Christopher confused with an earlier painting of St. George and the Dragon below it, and some indecipherable painting in a niche. The 15th century pulpit has a painted inscription celebrating John the Baptist - Inter natos mulierum non surrexit maior Johanne Baptista²
¹Remarkable testimony to the reluctance with which Henrys order was carried out is nearby at Ranworth (Norfolk) in the late 15th century Antiphoner. A page containing a reference to one of Beckets feasts has been crossed out with the lightest possible of single diagonal strokes, leaving everything on it perfectly readable.
² Among those born of women has not risen a greater than John the Baptist [Luke 7:28]
| St. Andrew Martyred, Stoke Dry, Rutland |
St. Anne teaching the Virgin to read-Corby Glen, Lincolnshire |
St. Antony and the Pig, Barton, Cambridgeshire |
St. Barbara : Hessett, Suffolk |
St. Bartholomew : Selling, Kent |
St.Catherine of Alexandria, life of : Castor, Cambs |
St.Catherine of Alexandria : Hardley Street, Norfolk |
| St.Catherine of Alexandria : Old Weston, Northants |
St.Catherine of Alexandria : Pickering, N. Yorks |
St.Catherine of Alexandria, life of : Sporle, Norfolk |
St. Clement : South Leigh, Oxon.
| St. Dunstan holding the Devil by the nose : Barton, Cambs |
St.Edmund : Boxford, Suffolk |
St. Edmund : Lakenheath, Suffolk |
| St. Edmund, Martyrdom of : Bishopsbourne, Kent |
St.Edmund, Martyrdom of : Fritton, Norfolk |
St. Edmund (or St. Walstan) : Gisleham, Norfolk |
St. Edmund, Martyrdom of : Pickering, N.Yorks |
St. Edmund, Martyrdom of : Stoke Dry, Rutland |
St. Edmund, Martyrdom of : Troston, Suffolk |
St. Edmund, Martyrdom of : Weare Giffard, Devon |
| St.Eloi, Broughton, Bucks |
St. Eloi and the possessed horse, Slapton, Northants |
St. Eloi, as bishop & blacksmith, Wensley, N.Yorks |
St.Erasmus, Martyrdom of : Chippenham, Cambs |
St. Etheldreda : Willingham, Cambs |
St.Francis Preaching to the Birds : Wissington, Suffolk
|
St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata, Slapton, Northants |
| St. George & Dragon : Banningham, Norfolk |
St. George & Dragon : Broughton, Bucks |
St. George & Dragon : Earl Stonham, Suffolk |
St. George & Dragon : Fritton, Norfolk |
St. George & Dragon : Hornton, Oxon |
St. George dedicating himself to the Virgin : Astbury, Cheshire |
St. George, with the princess : Little Kimble, Bucks |
| St.Helena, Broughton, Bucks |
St. Hubert, Miracle of : Idsworth, Hants
| St.James the Great : Hales, Norfolk |
Life of St. James, Stoke Orchard, Gloucestershire |
St. James the Great, meeting pilgrims : Wisborough Green, Sussex |
St. John the Baptist, Martyrdom of : Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks |
St. John the Baptist, Martyrdom of : Heydon, Norfolk
|
| St. John the Baptist, Martyrdom of : Idsworth, Hampshire
| St. John the Baptist, Martyrdom of : Old Weston, Northants |
Life of St. John the Baptist : Cerne Abbas, Dorset NEW |
St. John the Evangelist, Selling, Kent |
St. John the Evangelist, Weston Longville, Norfolk |
St. Margaret of Antioch : Old Weston, Northants |
St. Margaret and the dragon : South Newington, Oxfordshire NEW |
| St. Margaret of Antioch Martyred, Stoke Dry, Rutland |
St. Margaret of Antioch, Life of : Charlwood, Surrey |
Life of St. Margaret, Wendens Ambo, Essex |
St. Martin dividing his cloak, Chalgrave, Beds |
St. Martin dividing his cloak, Wareham, Dorset |
St.Nicholas of Myra, life of : Little Horwood, Bucks |
St. Nicholas of Myra, two miracles of : Wissington, Suffolk |
| St.Paul : Black Bourton, Oxon |
St. Paul : Beckley, Oxon |
St. Peter : Beckley, Oxon |
St.Peter : Black Bourton, Oxon |
St. Peter, Martyrdom of : Chacombe, Northants |
St. Roch : Pinvin, Worcs |
St. Sexburga? : Willingham, Cambs |
| St. Stephen, Stoning of: Black Bourton, Oxon |
St. Stephen, Stoning of: Catfield, Norfolk |
St.Swithun (?) enthroned : Old Weston, Northants |
Scenes from the life of St. Swithun : Corhampton, Hampshire NEW |
St. Thomas Becket, blessing, Hauxton, Cambs. |
St. Thomas Becket, Murder of, Marston Magna, Somerset |
St.Thomas Becket, Murder of : South Burlingham, Norfolk |
St. Thomas Becket, Murder of : South Newington, Oxfordshire
| St. Walstan of Bawburgh? or St. Edmund : Gisleham, Norfolk |
St. Zita : Horley, Oxon |
St. Zita : Shorthampton, Oxon |
Unidentified female saint : Heydon |
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