The writing was carefully painted onto a wall at Salisbury Cathedral
Posted on 03/02/2010 6:23:06 AM PST by Palter
What is believed to be the first ever example of English in a British church has been discovered.
It was written half a millennia ago and its message was serious enough to be painted carefully on the wall of England's finest cathedral.
But now it seems no one can quite decipher exactly what the inscription on the wall of Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire actually says.
It was hidden for 350 years behind a monument to a local aristocrat who was 'martyred' in the English Civil War for his support of King Charles I but rediscovered in January by astonished conservators.
And baffled experts have resorted to asking members of the public with a keen eye for deciphering puzzles to have a look at the text, and a computer-enhanced version, to see if they can help out.
Tim Tatton Brown, the cathedral's consultant archaeologist, explained: "The Cathedral's conservators quite unexpectedly found some beautifully written English text behind the Henry Hyde Monument on the cathedral's south aisle wall when the monument was temporarily removed as part of the on-going schedule of work.
"I had originally surmised the text date from the 16th century, bearing in mind that the monument was erected soon after 1660. However, our researchers now suggest it was written a century earlier and therefore pre-dates the Reformation.
"My colleague Dr John Crook has made a comprehensive detailed photographic record of the script and subsequently enhanced the letter forms on his computer," he added.
The writing was carefully painted onto a wall at Salisbury Cathedral
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
‘Always scribble, scribble, scribble! Eh! Mr. Gibbon?’ ping.
“Half a millenia”? Sheesh.
“Be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”
I’m confused, is this Middle English or Old English? Old English wasn’t written down? I need more coffee.
“For a good time, go see Marlene at the Red Oxen Pub.”
Extremely-late-midde-English, if it dates from 1500 or so. Shakespeare, 1590s and on, is considered early-Modern.
As in half a millennia = 500 years? 2010 - 500 = 1510? Wasn't Chaucer, whom most consider the father of our modern English language, in his grave by that time?
Center right, I see “ethylene”, so the word to follow must be “glycol”.
Hope that helps...
DANG! Where’s Vanna White when you need her?
“My father invaded Saxony and all I got was this lousy chain-mail frock”.
It says, "Bush's Fault".
"Canterbury Tales" was composed in the 1380s and 90s.
Maybe the article means this is the oldest example *in a church*, rather than a particularly old example of English writing. Or maybe other surviving documents are in Latin, Anglo-Saxon, or French.
Obama’s birth announcement?
LOL!!
Monty Python was here!
“What is believed to be the first ever example of English in a British church has been discovered.”
A British Church at the time would only have Latin writings.
Or maybe the reporter is a brain-dead teenager hired at the last minute because the regular brain-dead reporter was at the BBC opffice paying her fines for watching Sky TV or something. Whatever.
It can’t possibly be the oldest example of English writing. That’s a nonsensical statement.
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