Interpretation of mural in St Mary’s Church

Last updated: Thursday, 02 November 2006, 12:45 AM

According to research done at Leicester University by Miriam Gill, the Hardwick wall-painting represents in its lower part the Seven Deadly Sins:

Pride
Envy
Anger
Avarice
Sloth
Gluttony
Lust

and in its upper part the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy:

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Welcome the stranger
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Visit the prisoner
Bury the dead

though only five of the latter are known to be present.

Apparently wall paintings with this theme were not uncommon in English churches in medieval times, though most have been destroyed or obliterated. Hardwick was one of just twenty churches used in the Leicester University study, the others being: Arundel, Brooke, Catfield, Dalham, Hoxne, Hunworth, Ingatestone, Kentford, Kingston, Milcomb, Milton Abbas, Netherbury, Oddington, Quatt, Ruabon, Ruislip, Stanningfield and Trotton. Hardwick is unusual in that the Sins are portrayed riding on animals, the only other place where this is found being Langar in North Wales.

Further details taken from the Seedcorn Project database:

Element type	Times depicted	Number of figures	Gender of main figure	Gender of secondary figure	Attributes of main figure	Attributes of secondary fig
Pride	1	1	M	-	bearded, crowned, sword in right hand, riding on lion	-
Avarice	1	1	M	-	riding on horse?	-
Envy	1	1	M	-	hat, riding on dog?	-
Anger	1	1	M	-	hat, suicide, stabbing self in head, riding on deer	-
Lust	1	1	M	-	hat, touching heart, riding on goat	-
Gluttony	1	1	M	-	hat, drinking from cup, riding on unidentified animal	-
Sloth	1	1	M	-	hat, right hand under cheek as if sleeping, riding on donkey	-
Feed hungry	1	2	F	M	veil, holding objects (loaf) in left and right hands	beardless, with crutch
Drink to thirsty	1	2	F	M	veil, holding flagon in left hand	bearded crutch and wooden right leg below knee
Welcome stranger	0	0	-	-	-	-
Clothe naked	1	2	F	M	-	bearded, loin cloth, crutch, kneeling
Visit sick	1	2	F	M	veil, standing over bed	in bed
Visit prisoner	0	0	-	-	-	-
Bury dead	1	5	F	M	standing and pointing to body, in shroud, before church	gathering round shrouded body

It is probable that the wall painting was whitewashed over not because of fear or rejection of superstition, as surmised by John Willis Clark in his 1859 article, but because in certain eyes it appeared to justify Redemption by Good Works rather than by Faith alone. (Thanks to Dr Graham Jones, Leicester University, for this comment.)