In the medieval period, the Christian Church was part of everyday life. Everyone was christened, married and buried by the Church and many aspects of their lives were governed by canon (religious) law and Church courts. Households paid a tithe (originally a tenth of what they produced or earned) to the Church to support it. Churches were decorated with rich furnishings by patrons (usually the local wealthy and noble families) as a way of praising God. Most of the artists and craftsmen of the period such as masons, sculptors, painters, metalworkers and makers of stained-glass, were employed on projects to enrich and beautify churches and cathedrals.

The visual arts were a very important means of spreading the message of Christianity. In the 12th century, a new style of architecture known as ‘Gothic’ arrived from France and was a potent means of stressing this message. Instead of the massive pillars and round arches of Norman buildings, Gothic churches had high walls pierced with delicate windows, pointed arches, spires and pinnacles that looked as though they were reaching up to heaven. Wall paintings and stained-glass told the stories of the bible to those who could not read.