Iluminations: gallery room one

Welcome to the Gallery. Stroll at your leisure around this display of Alison's work. To save you from having to scroll too far, the Gallery is split into seven "rooms" - this is ROOM ONE.

To view a larger version of each of the paintings, simply click on the relevant image. Remember, though, that the larger version has a bigger file size and will take longer to download.

Some of the paintings can be bought as cards. If so, their availability is included with the card details. Contact Alison about prices.

Guildford Castle, Christmas 1347
• Available as a card from Guildford Museum. Tel: +44 (0)1483 444750.

At Christmas 1347, King Edward III held an elaborately costumed entertainment in the royal palace at Guildford Castle.

He was particularly fond of these performances and payments are recorded for tunics and masks of angels, dragons and peacocks. The King himself is known to have worn a white swan costume on occasions.

However, the black rats lurking in the corners remind us that before the following Christmas many of the revellers would have perished in the Black Death.

Guildford Castle, Christmas 1347
• Available as a card from Guildford Museum. Tel: +44 (0)1483 444750.

In the Great Hall of Guildford Castle, Adam de Gurdon kneels in supplication before Prince Edward and his wife Eleanor of Castille.

Adam de Gurdon was an outlaw supporting Simon de Montfort's rebellion against Edward's father, King Henry III.

The story is told that Edward ran de Gurdon to earth in a wood near Alton and defeated him in single combat. Edward took him captive back to Guildford, where a traitor's death awaited him.

However, Eleanor begged her husband to spare the prisoner and de Gurdon swore to be a faithful subject.

The Matthew

In May 1497, John Cabot, on board the square-rigged Matthew with a crew of "hearty Bristol sailors", sailed out of Bristol to begin a voyage of exploration that, eight weeks later, would bring them to "New Founde Landes" (Newfoundland, Canada).

The expedition returned safely to Bristol in August of the same year.

The Trinity Chapel, Cirencester

In 1430, the Trinity Chapel was added to the nave of Cirencester parish church.

Among its most important donors were Sir Richard Dixton and Sir William Prelatte, both of whom held office in the royal household of Richard, Duke of York, and who are represented here carrying their coats of arms.

Fifty years earlier, Queen Anne of Bohemia had founded a chantry chapel in the parish church, where daily mass was to be said for the soverieign, and it was this altar that was moved into the new Trinity Chapel.

Ralph Parsons, one of the chantry priests, kneels here at Anne's altar. He is wearing his magnificent embroidered cope, fragments of which have survived and can be seen on display in the church.

Gloucestershire Wassail

This traditional Christmas and New Year carol was recorded earlier this century at various locations in Gloucestershire and there are references from the 19th century of the carol being sung in Gloucestershire by wassailers carrying a great bowl decorated with ribbons and garlands.

Cecil Sharp (English Folk Carols) heard it sung at Buckland and it was performed in 1864 in Over, near Gloucester, by a band of wassailers from the neighbouring village of Minsterworth.

Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire

The nave roof of Tewkesbury Abbey was remodelled in the mid-14th century and the fine stone lierne vaulting added. The series of magnificent roof bosses illustrating the life of Christ includes one of the Nativity, shown here being carved by 14th century masons.

He Came Down to Earth from Heaven

A festive scene at Norwich Market, Norfolk.

Funeral of Edward II

With King Edward II murdered at Berkeley Castle on September 20, 1327, his scheming widow Queen Isabella assumed power at the court of her son, the boy king Edward III.

A month after the murder, John Thokay, Abbot of Gloucester, collected Edward II's body from Berkeley and brought it in procession and with great ceremony to Gloucester.

Queen Isabella and Edward III attended the murdered king's funeral in Gloucester Abbey on December 20. Among other lavish funeral decorations, a painted wooden image of Edward II was carried into the Abbey.