Christian monuments in England and Wales : an historical and descriptive sketch of the various classes of sepulchral monuments which have been in use in this country from about the era of the Norman conquest to the time of Edward the Fourth . to the tapering shape of the actual stone coffin, previous to the 1 In the Archaeological Journal, vol. iv. mental slabs have been observed. I may pp. 37, 58, is an interesting account of add, that a very considerable number of the discovery of a vast number of early slabs of this character now form part of the incised slabs, during the recent repairs in
Christian monuments in England and Wales : an historical and descriptive sketch of the various classes of sepulchral monuments which have been in use in this country from about the era of the Norman conquest to the time of Edward the Fourth . to the tapering shape of the actual stone coffin, previous to the 1 In the Archaeological Journal, vol. iv. mental slabs have been observed. I may pp. 37, 58, is an interesting account of add, that a very considerable number of the discovery of a vast number of early slabs of this character now form part of the incised slabs, during the recent repairs in pavement of the church at Gorleston, in Bakewell Church, Derbyshire. In many Suffolk. other churches similar collections of monu- 2 See Archaologia, vol. xxx. p. 121. IN ENGLAND AND WALES. 11 commencement of the Decorated period of English Gothic archi-tecture, that is, about 1275: subsequently their general formwas rectangular; and when of this latter form, they are often foundto be of very large dimensions. I proceed now to notice some examples of stone coffins andstone coffin-lids, and also of such monumental slabs as are alto-gether devoid of effigies, with a view to illustrate the peculiarcharacteristics of these 1100. Stone Coffin of King William II., Choir of Winchester Cathedral. The well-known monument of King William II., which standsin the midst of the choir of Winchester Cathedral, is a stone coffin,entirely without ornamental sculpture or incised work. The formof the lid in this specimen is remarkable, its uppermost or copedportion being of much smaller dimensions than the coffin itself,and having its ends sloping off as well as its sides. It wouldappear that this mode of constructing the coffin-lid was derivedfrom the usage of times long anterior to the termination of theeleventh century; for, without doubt, the coped form is muchearlier than the eleventh century, though but few examples ofearlier date have hitherto been discovered. At Bakewe
Size: 2224px × 1123px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectsepulchralmonuments
