Rare 16th-century wall paintings depicting fantastical beasts, heraldic rabbits, and Grotesque heads have been uncovered at the Ashes, a Tudor hunting lodge in Inglewood Forest, Cumbria, U.K. Built in the 1560s during Elizabeth I's reign, the two-story building originally housed William Simpson, a bailiff of Castle Sowerby Manor. The paintings, created using the secco technique on dry plaster, were found in stages—first on the second story in the 1970s, then on the ground floor during excavations in the 2010s and 2020s. The most recent discoveries, made by owners Jen and Richard Arkell, reveal elaborate decorative panels likely inspired by textile designs, reflecting the cosmopolitan tastes of the period.
The discovery matters because the combination of motifs is considered unusual even by national standards, and the paintings are rare for the Cumbria region. The murals' black-and-white Grotesque style, borrowed from ancient Roman decorative art, adds to their historical significance. As a result, the Ashes has just been granted listed status by the U.K.'s Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ensuring its preservation. The find offers remarkable insight into the evolution of a significant Tudor hunting lodge and the cultural aspirations of its original inhabitants.