After several years in the making, we are pleased to share that Life Over Death is now available to watch publicly for the first time.
Created by Conteur in collaboration with the retired Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, the short film takes viewers inside Worcester Cathedral’s hidden charnel house, a medieval space that has remained largely unseen for centuries.
Charnel houses were once common spaces across medieval Europe and were used to respectfully store human bones when churchyards became full. Far from being frightening places, they offered a quiet reminder of the cycle of life and death. Worcester’s own charnel house – tucked away for centuries near the cathedral and discovered under a trapdoor in a basement – is one of the city’s most compelling stories.
The film also includes some inspiration from the late Denise Inge, whose book, ‘A Tour of Bones’, helped to highlight the extraordinary space.
Bishop John hopes the film will help people discover something new about the cathedral’s history while honouring the curiosity Denise brought to its story.
John Inge said: “During her years in College Yard, Denise developed a fascination with the charnel house and the connection between life and death. To see its strange beauty captured on film is a privilege and something so unique to Worcester. I hope the community gets behind the film, discovers something new about our historic city and, in the process, reflects on life in the light of death.”
Until now, Life Over Death has only been shown to film-festival judges – it won Best Documentary at the Worcester Film Festival 2023 and was shortlisted for Best Documentary at the Liverpool Indie Awards and Best British Director for a Short Documentary at the European Short Film Awards 2025. Now, for the first time, it’s available for everyone to watch.
Director Gillian Davies said, “Working with Bishop John and the cathedral team on this project has been a privilege. Many people pass through the cathedral grounds without realising what lies beneath them and bringing this hidden space to the screen has been a fascinating process for the whole team.”
Life Over Death is now available to watch on our YouTube channel here.