Guild Chapel, Stratford-upon-Avon

Overview
In 1804 a series of 15th century wall paintings were discovered during building work in the chancel of the Guild Chapel of the Holy Cross, Stratford upon Avon. The paintings, subsequently destroyed during the building work, had been defaced, painted over and hidden from sight since 1563. In 1955 fragmentary remains of wall paintings in the nave of the chapel were discovered and recorded, including a depiction of The Dance of Death and a large scene of Doom or Judgment Day above the chancel arch. The faint outlines of only 4 of the wall paintings survive in the Chapel today.

The aim of the project was to digitally recreate the interior of the 16th century Guild Chapel, complete with contemporary wall paintings. 3D visualisation and survey techniques backed by thorough research produced a historically accurate reconstruction of the painted Guild Chapel, visible for the first time in nearly 500 years.

Historical Background
The Guild Chapel of the Holy Cross is part of a complex of medieval buildings located in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. The Chapel, now part of King Edward VI grammar school, was constructed sometime prior to 1296, when Robert de Stratford and members of the Fraternity of The Holy Cross petitioned to found a Hospital and erect a chapel. The Guild grew and prospered, amalgamating other guilds in the town, but was eventually dissolved in 1547 and stripped of its assets. Control of the chapel passed to the Stratford Corporation, established in 1553.

The paintings within the guild chapel were produced during the late 15th century. They depict religious stories and events, largely taken from Caxton's 1483 reprint of Jacobus de Voragine's Legenda Aurea or Golden Legend, thought to have been published in 1260. The paintings survived for only 68 years until they were defaced, whitewashed and covered from sight by John Shakespeare (father of the playwright), following the royal injunction of 1559 that called for all "superstition" and "idolatry" be removed from places of worship.

Approach
The project brief was to create a digital reconstruction of the interior of the chapel, which would be the backdrop or canvas for the now predominantly destroyed wall paintings to be reapplied. The paintings could thus be viewed as one, in their original context for the first time since their removal began in 1563.

The project also acknowledged the theoretical considerations concerning the use of visual reconstructions that present archaeological or historical information that is no longer visible or accessible. Concerns can arise from portraying one opinion or hypothesis, which when presented in visual form can be mis-interpreted as truth or fact. The reconstruction presented here was backed by sound academic research using primary and secondary sources to create the most accurate interpretation of the Chapel that the evidence allowed. Where there is a question of accuracy, information detailing opinions was provided.

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