I recently undertook a survey of the remarkable wall paintings at The Painted Room – a rare survival of domestic Elizabethan decoration dating to around 1570–1580. The room originally formed part of the historic Crown Tavern, reputedly visited by Shakespeare during his journeys between London and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The project focused on analysing the materials and techniques used to create the painted scheme. This included investigation of pigments, plaster layers, preparatory grounds, paint stratigraphy, and glazes, and attempted to identify the binding media and the composition of the plaster substrate. The aim was to better understand the original decorative scheme, its construction, materials, later alterations, and dating, while also situating it within broader 16th-century artistic practice.
The wall paintings extend across the plaster and timber framework of the north wall, part of the east wall, and the chimney breast of the room. The design is based on a strapwork pattern resembling a trellis, with fruit and floral motifs arranged within interlocking geometric compartments.
Their survival is exceptional. In around 1600 the paintings were concealed behind wooden panelling. This panelling remained in place for approximately 300 years and was only removed in the 1927 during alterations to the room – and the paintings were revealed. Since then, the room has been in the care of the Oxford Conservation Trust.
Targeted sampling and analysis undertaken during this project, provided insights into the materials and techniques used both in the Painted Room and in adjacent panelling. While such investigations inevitably raise as many questions as they answer, they offer an important snapshot of the original decorative scheme. The findings indicate that, although the materials align broadly with those typical of the period, the execution demonstrates a level of sophistication beyond the most basic decorative work. The artists employed more than a simple palette of earth pigments, instead layering and blending colours with evident technical understanding. The pigments are of good quality and finely ground, producing consistent and even tones. Notably, the palette includes more costly materials alongside standard earth colours and red lead.
Despite the apparent freedom of execution, the painters show confidence in techniques such as colour mixing, glazing, and modulation of tone to create depth and visual interest. The study also suggests that the scheme would originally have been far more vibrant and saturated than it appears today. The fading and deterioration of certain colours are largely due to the inherent instability of some pigments and organic materials used. 
