Abbey Dore, Herefordshire : its building and restoration / by Edwin Sledmere ; with 27 ill., of which 20 are drawings from photographs, by Cuthbert Ernest Sledmere.

  • Sledmere, Edwin.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Abbey Dore, Herefordshire : its building and restoration / by Edwin Sledmere ; with 27 ill., of which 20 are drawings from photographs, by Cuthbert Ernest Sledmere. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    in the South-Isle, an almost entire Effigy, made of the Heart of Oak : nothing being either decay’d, or broken, but the Top of his Pastoral-staff.”] There are still two interesting effigies now under the arches in the north and south choir aisles. They are “ excellent examples of knights in chain armour,” and are popularly supposed to represent the founder, Robert de Ewyas, and Roger de Clifford, but it is impossible to say with certainty, as the arms on the shields have become obliterated. Both have surcoats over, and carry shields and swords. During the excavations a fragment of considerable size was found, still retaining considerable traces of bright blue colouring on the surcoat, which may possibly have been treated heraldically. The small effigy of bishop le Breton has been de- scribed on a previous page. Considerable fragments have been found from time to time which appear to have belonged to a very beautiful shrine, of early fourteenth century date. The first discovery was made about 1886, whilst digging for the foundations of the west end of the nave, when a large portion of the canopy was found, and more recently some tracery elaborately coloured and gilt, was unearthed. It was evidently an object of considerable sanctity, and special care seems to have been taken to dismember it thoroughly. When perfect it appears to have been about four feet in length and eighteen inches in width. It is now placed for safety in the vestry. “..We may reasonably conclude therefore that, both westward of the pulpitum in the nave, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the high altar and the eastern chapels, there was a series of monuments; to Roger de Clifford, and probably more than one of the Bishops of Hereford, besides the tombs of the abbots themselves. The aumbreys in the south aisle also show that there were two side chapels or chauntries perhaps in connexion with monuments placed in the presbytery arches.”* “ Most FRAGMENT OF SHRINE.