Centuries-Old Masterpiece Discovered in Almshouse, Poised to Fund Social Housing

In a remarkable discovery, a 15th-century Flemish triptych painting worth an estimated £3.5 million has been found hanging in the chapel of the Almshouse of Saint John the Evangelist and John the Baptist in Sherborne, Dorset. The paneled artwork, depicting the five miracles of Christ, has been housed at the almshouse since before the Reformation.

The trustees of the almshouse, which received its royal charter from King Henry VI in 1437, recently asked an auction house to safeguard the altarpiece for security reasons while the building underwent renovations. Sotheby's in London conducted extensive research, including scientific analysis, and determined the triptych was created between 1480 and 1490 in Brussels by an unknown Flemish artist.

Due to the painting's rarity and exceptional quality, the trustees have decided to sell the artwork at auction. The proceeds will be used to fund various social housing projects in the Dorset market town. If the triptych sells for the estimated £2.5 million to £3.5 million, it could potentially finance the construction of six new accommodation units.

"We knew it was valuable, but there was quite a lot of debate about its value," said Mike Burks, one of the almshouse trustees. The chapel where the triptych has been housed for centuries was completed in 1442, four years after the almshouse received its royal charter.