3 Marys Mural

The Resurrection Scene above the South door. One of the many 14th Century paintings in St. Mary.

Not easy to make out as it was painted on the South wall of the nave and in a similar manner to the others on this wall they have not survived as well as those on the North wall.

There are many interpretations of this painting and is undoubtedly a depiction of the resurrection of Christ and the Empty Tomb. The Women of Easter are shown by the tomb as are soldiers

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" In 1964 Mrs Baker returned to look at the South Wall but the results were disappointing. The plaster on this wall being in poor condition, details had become obliterated, but portions of a roundel are seen depicting a figure with arrows and a woman. This is possibly Saint Sebastian, who was wounded with arrows shot at him, the archers leaving him for dead. His wounds were healed by Irene, widow of the martyr Saint Castulus. "

" On the South side above the door there appears to be three women with Christ - the Resurrection Scene? Especially as there seems to be a sleeping figure near his right foot. "

" To the right of the door is an inscription in Old English, this is of a much later date and quotes from the Acts of the Apostles (Chapter 20, verse 9): “And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen asleep; and as Paul was long preaching, he sank down with sleep and, fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead”, however the narrative goes on to say he recovered. "

" In 1996 the whole of the walls containing the paintings was stabilised and cleaned. "

Mrs Baker and her team of conservators uncovered the wall paintings on the North wall in 1962. The paintings on the South wall were not visiable at that time, although it was suspected that there many have been some due to the discovery on the North wall.

The Resurrection painting that we see today had an electical fitting and a pipe punched through the wall that provided lighting in the porch. This was unsympathetically done in hindsight but at the time the painting was not known. Even more strange is the stars of David that were placed on the North and South walls, see below, the star on the South door to the porch was diectly over the Three Marys.

Interpretation

According to WikiP the Marys that are generally depicted at the tomb of Jesus the Virgin Mary was not one of them.

Mary Cleopas (sometimes alternated with Mary Jacob) – holding a broom
Mary Salome – holding a thurible or censer
Mary Magdalene (sometimes alternated with Mary of Bethany) – holding an alabaster chalice or jar.

Lorenzo Monaco, The Three Marys at the Tomb

The star of David above the South Door

Below is a photograph of a star of David above the South door of St. Mary's Belchamp Walter. It seems it was painted over the mural of the Three Marys.

Star of David plaque over The Three Marys at the Tomb

The presence of this star is a bit of a mystery as it also reflects some of the other Jewish symbology in St. Mary's.

3 Marys Mural

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