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Medieval paintings hidden away for almost 300 years have been uncovered by builders working in Cambridge.

The wall art was found while they were working in a roof space at the University of Cambridge's Christ's College.

The artworks celebrated the royal connections with the college during the early 16th century.

Dr Christina Faraday, who is an art historian at the university, said it is an "exciting and unusual discovery".

The design is six metres (20ft) wide and features three crowned images all painted on to a fine plaster layer.

Below the crowns builders found a red Lancastrian rose, portcullis and a design called a fleur-de-lis.

Though the college was first established in 1437 it was re-founded as Christ's College in 1505 by Henry VII's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort.

The portcullis was the badge of the Beaufort family.

Once the designs were found, the college took at look at the records and found that the last known sighting of the paintings was around 1738.

Experts say the paintings have managed to survive in such a good condition because they have been covered in the roof space, but this also means they will not be on general view.

Lord Simon McDonald, who is the college's master, is one of the few people who have been able to see them up close.

He said: "After basic restoration, we will store the paintings away once again, a time-capsule which might be uncovered in another 300 years."