Medieval Wall Painting
in the
English Parish Church

The saint’s patriarchal white beard is unusual, and the contrast between the rather small Christ Child (who is now difficult to see against the patterned background) on his left shoulder and his own gigantic stature is striking. Fish are present in the stream, as usual, with a flatfish resembling a skate prominent (bottom, centre right, as if standing on its tail). The yellowish humped mass at the left represents the far bank of the river towards which Christopher is wading.

The background is patterned (or ‘diapered’) with a small ‘peacock’s eye’ design in red. These, symbolising immortality, are often found in paintings of St Christopher.

This is a particularly fine example restored by Eve Baker in 1963.

Raunds has several other paintings – the Three Living & the Three Dead and the Seven Deadly Sins are also now on these pages.

Raunds Church website

† in page heading = Diocese