Rare Tudor wall paintings Rediscovered at Cumbrian house

Rare 16th century wall paintings have been revealed at The Ashes, a former Tudor hunting lodge in Inglewood Forest near Penrith. 

The Ashes, Castle Sowerby, Cumbria. East elevation, general view showing stone doorway and two and three light chamfered stone mullion windows with rounded heads and hoodmoulds. View from east. (Image: James O. Davies) The Grotesque style paintings feature fantastical beasts and foliage arranged in decorative panels. Found on some of the lodge’s internal walls, evidence suggests the artwork originally covered a larger area within the rooms.

The first paintings were discovered on the first floor in the 1970s, while work some decades later in the 2010s and early 2020s exposed additional paintings in the hall on the ground floor as well as more artwork on the first floor.

First floor, north east room. Detail of wall-painting to north wall. View from south. (Image: James O. Davies) Recent scientific dating of the building’s timbers, using dendrochronology – a technique that analyses tree growth rings to determine age – has provided new insights.

The results confirm that the roof over the earliest part of the house was built using timber felled in or around the winter of 1561/1562, during the early years of Elizabeth I’s reign. The Ashes is listed at Grade II*, reflecting its exceptional historic importance.

Painting of a rabbit (Image: James O. Davies) In addition to the main house, adjoining agricultural buildings and boundary walls have now been granted Grade II listed status.

This includes an L-shaped range of buildings constructed in local pink sandstone, featuring an earlier barn with a reused 16th century timber roof structure.

Jen and Richard Arkell, the owners of The Ashes, said: “A small fragment of wall painting – similar to that seen at nearby Dacre Hall – has been visible in the house since before we acquired the property over 20 years ago.

general view of dining room to main house, showing ceiling and chamfered stone fireplace. (Image: James O. Davies) “However, recent work to the primary upstairs bedroom revealed much more of the composition. 

“Removing old failing plaster to find these remarkable motifs and faces looking back at us is a moment we will never forget.”

The paintings, created using a secco technique where pigments are applied to dry plaster, include striking images of Grotesque head profiles and a dog’s head emerging from decorative foliage. They are thought to be an imitation textile design, reflecting the sophisticated tastes of the building’s wealthy original occupants.

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Markus Campbell-Savours MP for Penrith and Solway said: “It’s quite clear these paintings were a remarkable find and it’s wonderful news that they have now been protected as part of the building’s listing.

“We can only hope that local people can enjoy them and the history of Cumbria for many years to come.”