The canvases were painted by Sir Peter Paul Rubens and installed in the hall in 1636.
The three main canvasses depict The Union of the Crowns, The Apotheosis of James I and The Peaceful Reign of James I. The only surviving in-situ ceiling painting of Peter Paul Rubens is also one of the most famous from a golden age of painting.
Two canvasses measure 28x20ft and two others 40x10ft.
The ceiling was one of Charles I’s last sights before he lost his head. The King was executed on a scaffold outside in 1649.

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