What can we work out about medieval life from the Doom

paintings that survive in churches today?

Medieval church-hell of a place

• Step back nearly a thousand years into a medieval church.

• Look at the wall - at the same painting medieval people would have looked at.

• What does it tell us about medieval people’s lives, their thoughts, their fears?!

This mural, called a 'Doom' painting, was produced some time before 1200 A.D.Its full name is the “Ladder of the Salvation of the Human Soul and Road to Heaven”.

But what does it mean? Why was it painted there? You’ll now find out for yourself !

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Let’s take it bit by bit

What I worked out about this Medieval doom painting

Clues• Some people shown are murderers, though its hard to

work this out.• Some are money lenders. Think about what the money

might be in?• Some are rogue traders, you can see some of their tools.• St Michael is one of the principal angels: his name was

said to have been the war-cry of the angels in the battle fought in heaven against Satan and his followers. His job was to bring men's souls to judgment, hence the scales.

• Those unworthy of Heaven are painted on the other side of the painting. Sometimes they have chains around them to pull them into Hell.

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• In the top left-hand section, good and bad deeds are being weighed in the balance. A devil has crept up from the left (look at those feet!!) and has his hand on the scale (that can’t be fair, surely!).

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• In this picture angels help people up the ladder to heaven.

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• At the top right, a devil (or possibly the devil?) is being pinned down with a cross and thrust into a fire (that’s more like it) or possibly the wide open jaws of some vast beast.

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• In the bottom left-hand section of the painting, two devils (all shown as giant figures) are throwing murderers into a boiling cauldron.

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• To their right, another devil is pulling people off the ladder of salvation (surely that’s not allowed, is it?).

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• On the far right is a demon, giving a good idea of how terrible Hell was thought to have been. Then the different tradesmen with some of their tools make their way across the bridge. On the far left a milkman is getting on to the bridge; his punishment is to carry a brimming pail of milk. Next to him are a mason, potter, spinner and blacksmith. All of them are missing part of their essential tools.

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• One man has already fallen down and is being roasted underneath on a big fire, while being held by two devils with long spears. He was in fact a money lender.

• The full name of the whole thing is “The Ladder of the Salvation of the Human Soul and the Road to Heaven”. It is believed to have been painted by a monk some time before 1200.

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Why were Doom paintings produced ?Dooms were used to remind medieval Christians of the afterlife and Judgment Day, and to help keep them mindful of sinning by showing in graphic detail the dramatic difference between Heaven and Hell.

A Doom was usually sited at the front (Chancel end) of a church, often on the Chancel arch itself, so that it would be constantly in view of worshippers as they looked towards the Priest during services. This was a very effective method of control of the illiterate mass who could not read the Latin Bible or understand the Latin the Priest was preaching.

Now your turn

• Doom paintings consisted of ….

Doom paintingsWhat have they got in common ?

See if you can find 10 images that you think tell us it is a doom

painting.Start with 2 easy ones beginning

with H.

A

Great Harrowden (‡Peterborough)

B

Rotherfield, E. Sussex (‡Chichester

C

The Doom, South Leigh, Oxfordshire

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E

Doom painted on boards, Wenhaston, Suffolk

F

'Frying Tonight'The Devil bastes the poor soul turning on the spit, another bleak warning to the congregation at All Saints, Broughton , nr.Cambridge

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H

• Now lets look at what the experts say. I have colour coded 12 of their ideas, but you may find more. If you get an original one of your own, and we all agree, then you get 2 points for it: otherwise its 1 point per ‘good spot’.

• Although there are many different versions of the theme, the theme's format stays broadly the same. On one side of a Doom painting is Heaven, whilst on the other is Hell. At the top of the image sits Jesus Christ in glory with His hands raised in judgment. Typically flanking Him is Mary the Mother of Jesus on one side and the angels are blowing their trumpets to raise the dead for judgment. Commonly the Archangel Michael is depicted in the centre, with the scales he will use to weigh the souls of humanity to see if individually they are fit for Heaven: one person is on one side of the scale while demonic creatures that represent the sins committed by the person are on the other side of the scale. The creatures are trying to tip the scales in their favour while, in some versions of the painting,.

• Those who are unworthy of Heaven are depicted on the other side of the painting being seized by demons bringing them into the mouth of Hell, beyond which (albeit out of sight) lie the bowels of Hell where endless pain and torment await them. The mouth of Hell is usually represented by a huge reptilian monster with its fiery mouth open wide to receive the damned as they are being forced into it. In some cases the demons have chains tied around the Damned who are helplessly being pulled in, while in others the Damned are being dragged or carried in..

• Those who are worthy of Heaven are brought to the gates of Heaven, frequently represented by a castle with large walls built to keep out sinful impurities. This is most commonly depicted on the left hand side of Doom paintings. Groups of angels adorn the walls of Heaven celebrating the welcome possession of the Saved as they make their way to Heaven's gates where, waiting by the entrance, is The Apostle Peter who has a key he uses to open up the gates of Heaven for the Saved to come in and enjoy eternal rest and happiness and to be in God's presence forever.