Devon & Cornwall notes & queries . as much as fifty years, asit is very similar to much of that executed in Elizabethsreign. The designs are largely composed of strap-work,so much in favour in the Flemish and German schools ofthat time; but it is noteworthy that upon the knobs of theposts is executed a much freer and more artistic type ofdesign of considerable grace and elegance, in which con-ventionalised fruit and foliage forms the motive. This pointsto a somewhat earlier date than might be argued from otherparts of the carving. A similar style of free design is seenat Broughton Castle, Oxfo
Devon & Cornwall notes & queries . as much as fifty years, asit is very similar to much of that executed in Elizabethsreign. The designs are largely composed of strap-work,so much in favour in the Flemish and German schools ofthat time; but it is noteworthy that upon the knobs of theposts is executed a much freer and more artistic type ofdesign of considerable grace and elegance, in which con-ventionalised fruit and foliage forms the motive. This pointsto a somewhat earlier date than might be argued from otherparts of the carving. A similar style of free design is seenat Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire, on an interior porch whichis dated 1599; and the same idea—though more elaboratelytreated—inspires the carving of a door in Nailsea Court,Somerset, of Elizabeths reign ; while a piece of wood-carvingillustrated in Shaivs Encyclopedia of Ornament (plate 34) asearly 16th century might stand as the parent of theWoodbury post-heads and all other such designs. Moreover,in typical Jacobean work we do not find this class of. No. Railings in Woodbury Church. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. 99 design surviving. Therefore, in spite of the ornamentalbanding of the gate-post columns, and the cherubs heads,and the quasi-classic capitals of the columns, and otherdetails which might all be assigned to the reign of James L9we are, I think, justified by the existence of the earlier detailin placing the carving of these railings in the latter years ofElizabeths reign. A comparison of them with the verysimilar detail of the Chichester tomb in Pilton Church,N. Devon, which was erected not long after 1556, will alsoserve to establish their date as being as early as this; andthus, when the Woodbury churchwardens paid their modestsum of £2 2s. for them in 1640, they must already haveseen at least fifty years service. It will be observed, in comparing this carving with theearlier style at Lapford, that in all parts of the workexcepting the capitals of the columns, the de
Size: 1291px × 1935px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookiddevoncornwallnot06amer
