St Mary’s Church – Chalgrove

Interpreting a world class example of medieval wall paintings.

St Mary’s Church project received HLF funding for a series of restoration works and production of new interpretation methods. Launched in 2016, with a total contract value of approx £50k, ATS developed an interactive multimedia guide, app and a website featuring high resolution 360 degree photographs.

ATS were tasked with developing a number of creative methods to interpret the wall paintings on site with a multimedia guide. With many themes to present to the visitors, we created a highly visual and intuitive interface that promoted self-discovery and exploration of the church and a clear presentation of the large expanse of paintings on the chancel walls. Painted in the first half of the fourteenth century they depict, on the north wall the childhood and Passion of Jesus, and on the south wall the death and assumption of the Virgin Mary.

With an international interest in the medieval paintings, ATS designed a website to provide an introduction to the story of the significance of St Mary’s. As part of a virtual experience, we took high definition 360 degree photographs of the Church following its restoration, allowing visitors to the website to zoom in on the detail and the paintings and other objects around the Church.