in 1958 spencer painted "the crucifixion" which was set in cookham high street and first displayed in cookham church. the painting employed a similar composition and viewpoint to an earlier painting, "the scarecrow, cookham" (1934) but with the two gargoyle-like carpenters nailing christ to the cross and a screaming crucified thief, was by far the most violent of all spencer's paintings. spencer was made an honorary doctor of letters by southampton university in 1958, three days before he received his knighthood at buckingham palace.