Christians at prayer

This wall painting was found at Lullingstone, Kent, in the Darenth valley, when the remains of a Roman villa were excavated in 1949. The villa had been built in the late first century AD, and altered and extended several times in the succeeding 300 years. There was evidence for pagan worship at the site well into the fourth century AD, but eventually the family which ran the estate adopted Christianity. At this early date in the history of Christianity, house-chapels and other types of accommodation must have been at least as common as purpose-built churches. A small suite of first-floor rooms at Lullingstone (probably provided with external access) was set aside as a Christian place of worship.

The walls were decorated with elaborate paintings on Christian themes, which have been partially reconstructed. This area shows a frieze of praying figures. The figures pose with upraised hands in an attitude still used by Christian priests when praying before a congregation.

G. de la Bédoyère, Roman villas and the countrysi (London, Batsford/English heritage, 1993)

G.W. Meates, The Roman Villa at Lullingston (Maidstone, Kent Archaeological Society, 1987)

C. Thomas, Christianity in Roman Britain (London, Batsford Academic and Educational, 1981)

Image used in

• Villa at Lullingstone
• The British Museum