A Visit to St. Botolph’s Church

A Reminder of Why Building Conservation Matters

I recently had the opportunity to visit St. Botolph's Church in Hardham – a quiet, unassuming building nestled in the countryside, and home to one of the most complete sets of early medieval wall paintings in England.

St. Botolph's Church - home to the earliest set of complete wall painting in England

Walking into the church is like stepping back nearly a thousand years. The frescoes, dating from around 1100 AD, cover the nave walls in a rich palette of ochres and reds, telling biblical stories in a style that’s both Romanesque and deeply English. Faded but still remarkably vibrant, these paintings are rare survivors.

What struck me most wasn’t just the beauty of the frescoes, but how close we came to losing them. Over the centuries, they were limewashed over, forgotten, and only rediscovered in the 19th century. Their survival is thanks to the building’s relative stability and the quiet care of those who looked after it—intentionally or not.

Frescoes looking towards the chancel

Frescoes on the northern wall of the nave

As someone who works on historic buildings, this visit was a powerful reminder of why conservation matters. These aren’t just old walls—they’re vessels of memory, artistry, and identity. When we repair historic fabric with sensitivity and respect, we’re not just preserving stone and plaster. We’re protecting the stories etched into them—sometimes literally.

St. Botolph’s reminds us that even the humblest of churches may hold treasures beyond imagining. That’s why good conservation isn’t about modernising or perfecting the past—it’s about keeping its voice alive, cracks and all.

If you live in the area, there's a good chance you've driven past this gem on A29 without really knowing it's there. Next time you're passing through Hardham, I urge you to stop and take a look.