Calverley Old Hall, between Leeds and Bradford, is currently subject to a major repair and renovation program funded by the Landmark Trust, who have owned the building and run part of it as a holiday let since 1981.
The oldest parts of the hall date back to the 14th century but most of it is Tudor. It was the seat of the Calverley family for centuries until the 1750s, when they sold the estate and moved to Esholt Hall. Calverley Old Hall was then subdivided into cottages.
Ahead of the current restoration work, historians and conservation specialists were able to examine the fabric of the building and made an incredible discovery behind a 1930s fireplace.
The team were removing small areas of Victorian plasterwork to see whether the main joints of the hall’s timber structure were still sound. The upper chamber of the parlour block where the find was made was described as ‘unremarkable’ and its walls had been painted peach in the 1970s.
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Dr Anna Keay, who worked at the site, said: “An exposed area of timber seemed to have something on it; reddish, greenish, and blackish stains on the oak. We thought they could just be the streaks and smudges of mould and dirt and decay. It looked to be wishful thinking that this was anything of note. But just on the off chance, ever cautious, we decided to ask the conservators at Lincoln Conservation to have a look.
“Then came the thunderbolts. First, the Lincoln team removed the plaster in a further five small areas and revealed what we had not dared to hope: wall paintings. Black and white and ochre and red, clear and unmistakable wall paintings. We were speechless. It was clear at once that these almost certainly dated to the Tudor period. But still we only had specks. Five vivid pieces from a jigsaw of 500, we knew where they went but had no idea of the picture they made.
Read more: Yorkshire Post
