Rare wall paintings discovered in flat on historic road in York

Luke Budworth has covered the paintings back up with in order to preserve them while he seeks help for conservation work on the artworks

Historic paintings discovered during renovation work at a flat could unlock more information about the development of a famous York street.

Luke Budworth uncovered the friezes, believed to be about 400 years old, on a wall at his home in Micklegate.

Historic England said the paintings may be of national significance and reveal more about the history of the street.

Dr Budworth said he was "very excited" to find the friezes and wants to conserve them for future generations.

The 29-year-old moved into the flat in October 2020 and was having a kitchen fitted last year when the paintings were found boarded up just below the ceiling on both sides of a chimney.

"I got my tools out and started chipping away at the board. As soon as I lifted the panel off, there it was, beautiful colours, with some still remaining layers of wallpaper from the Victorian era," he said.

His investigations led him to discover that the paintings featured scenes from a 1635 book called Emblems by poet Francis Quarles.

The artworks, painted directly on to plaster, are believed to date back to the 17th Century.

Micklegate Bar marks the entrance to the historic street

"I never expected to find something like this," said Dr Budworth.

"It's a funny place to live because every floor is on an angle, the ceiling is on an angle, you always find interesting bits and bobs about the flat that give its history away.

"I get a feeling of living in history, it's fantastic, it's why I moved to York."

Dr Budworth contacted Historic England about the paintings and the team helped him find out more about their significance.

The paintings had initially been found in 1998 and photographed before being covered up again and largely forgotten.

The paintings feature scenes from a 1635 book by Francis Quarles

Simon Taylor, Historic England's senior architectural investigator for the north region, said it was an "exciting rediscovery".

"We think they are of national significance and in the context of York, where domestic wall paintings are quite rare, they are of special interest," he said.

The wall the scenes are painted on could be older than the buildings on either side of it, he said.

The paintings are also cut off by the ceiling and the front of the building, which could help researchers piece together the development of the street.

Luke Budworth discovered the paintings while a new kitchen was being fitted at his flat in Micklegate

Dr Budworth, a medical researcher at the University of Leeds, said his discovery had inspired him to find out more about the social history of Micklegate.

He also hopes to secure funding for conservation work to be carried out on the paintings.

"I was very excited to discover it but very nervous because I feel I need to do everything I can to conserve it," he added.

Historic England, which printed a replica of the painting to cover the friezes and help preserve them, has published guidance for anyone who discovers a wall painting in their property.