Lincolnshire Historic Graffiti Survey

UPDATE January 2024 - about 128 buildings have been recorded so far, with many more known to have graffiti.

At present the greatest number of surveys and investigations have been done of Lincolnshire churches, but recently a few secular buildings have been investigated too.

The churches are visited by volunteers to identify those that have graffiti, and ultimately to record all those graffiti found.

Secular buildings (domestic, military, fortifications etc) are mostly determined as 'graffiti positive' from available records.

All written datasheets and images are logged with Lincolnshire HER (Heritage and Environment Record).        Contact Richard.watts@lincolnshire.gov.uk for details of how to access these records

 

If you have an interest in historic church graffiti, or have found some historic graffiti at a building not listed under 'BUILDINGS LIST', please contact Brian Porter at lagerbp@btinternet.com

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THE  AIM  of the project is to locate, identify and record any Historic Graffiti found in Lincolnshire's churches and other significant Lincolnshire buildings.

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Methods used are by non-invasive detection using 'raking' LED lighting, then digital photography plus written records.  We broadly follow the systematic methodology established by the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey in 2010. This involves examining every accessible part of each church or building within standing reach. Some roofs, towers and nave ceilings are inaccessible or kept locked or deemed unsafe for volunteers to access. Otherwise all ground floor areas have been recorded.

LED 'raking' light mentioned above is ideal for exaggerating the slightest of carved lines, which are then recorded by digital photography with a photo-scale in-shot. Raking light is not necessary for all graffiti, nor for all surfaces. Judgement is required, but for carved stone it can bring out detail of very finely scratched graffiti. Pencil or ink graffiti may need a different angle of lighting. A written record is kept for each building, and a simple floor plan with a written record of the graffiti type and photographs is kept, referring to the locations where each graffito in the church.is found.

This project is entirely run by volunteers fuelled by enthusiasm, tea and cake wherever possible!