Bloomsbury at Berwick
Bishop Bell
Before the Reformation, even some of the small rural Downland churches, such as the one at Clayton (see below), had extensive murals.
Bishop Bell of Chichester wanted to revive this tradition.
In 1941 he wrote to his
friend Sir Charles Reilly who was a neighbour of Duncan Grant’s aunt and also familiar
with previous mural work done by him: ”I know that you will rejoice to hear that
the plan you suggested of getting Duncan Grant to do a mural for one of the old Sussex
churches is coming about...”
Berwick was going to be a great experiment and a catalyst
for promoting the relationship between the Arts and the Church.
In 1941 Sir Kenneth Clarke wrote: “...with a little judicious publicity it might have the effect of encouraging other dioceses to do the same. If once such a movement got under way, it would have incalculable influence for the good on English Art.”
The ‘experiment’ received further support from Frederick Etchells who wrote in 1941: “Because the church is in fact less than 100 years old... therefore this is a suitable case for an experiment because to all intents and purposes it is a modern church.”
Clayton Church
Clayton church lies at the foot of the Downs north of Brighton. Its walls are covered
with 11th Century murals. ‘Christ in Majesty’ over the chancel arch presides within
a central Mandorla, hands held out in blessing, flanked by two angels.
The murals are framed by elaborate decorative borders. The Byzantine appearance is
reflected in Duncan Grant’s ‘Christ in Glory’.
