Early Renaissance Architecture in England: A Historical & Descriptive Account of the Tudor, Elizabethan, & Jacobean Periods, 1500-1625Gotch, J. Alfred (John Alfred)
History
Early Renaissance Architecture in England: A Historical & Descriptive Account of the Tudor, Elizabethan, & Jacobean Periods, 1500-1625
refined, and the recumbent figures were placed no longer in a simple
and dignified attitude, with faces turned towards the sky and with
hands folded in the attitude of prayer; but they were placed awkwardly
on their sides, leaning on their elbows, sometimes lodged in
precarious positions on a kind of shelf, sometimes with cheek resting
on the hand, as though, in the words of Bosola in the _Duchess of
Malfi_, "they had died of the toothache." All dignity and romance were
eliminated from the work, and the Jacobean squire appeared in death
what he frequently was in life--a very commonplace creature.
[Illustration: 205.--TOMB OF SIR WM. SPENCER (D. 1609), YARNTON CHURCH,
OXFORDSHIRE.]
[Illustration: PLATE LXXXI.
PILTON CHURCH, NORTH DEVON.
DETAIL OF THE CHICHESTER TOMB.]
[Illustration: PLATE LXXXII.
SCREEN AT TILNEY ALL SAINTS, NORFOLK (1618).]
[Illustration: 206.--PULPIT, WORTH CHURCH, SUSSEX (1577).]
There were many screens erected during the early years of the
seventeenth century. The finest specimens are at St. John's Church,
Leeds, and at Croscombe in Somerset, near Wells, in both of which
churches most of the woodwork is of this period, including the
excellent oak seats. The general effect of the richly ornamented
woodwork at Croscombe, including the pews, the pulpit, and the lofty
screen, is unusually striking. But in many churches in different parts
of the country screens may be found of more or less importance. A
good example is illustrated from Tilney All Saints, in Norfolk, near
King's Lynn (Plate LXXXII.), which bears the date 1618 in a little
panel over the central arch. The design, it will be seen, is somewhat
unconstructional, for the main posts of the lower part are not carried
up to support the crowning cornice, but terminate in obelisks, leaving
the cornice to be carried by turned balusters; the effect being to
render the upper part rather insecure in appearance. There is a screen
at Stonegrave, in Yorkshire, of simple but rather unusual design, in
which the detail is very carefully managed. Although it is dated 1637,
its general character places it in the category of Jacobean work.
Of pulpits there were a large number erected in Elizabeth's time, and
still more in King James's, for in the canons of 1603 a pulpit was
ordered to be placed in every church not previously provided with
one. Many of these have disappeared, through decay or the fury of
Gothic restoration, but there are still plenty left, of which several
types are illustrated. There is the elaborate one at Worth Church, in
Sussex, dated 1577, built up with columns at the angles. The faces are
occupied by niches containing figures of the Evangelists (Fig. 206),
and the frieze above bears an inscription in the Dutch language. On the
panels between the pilasters of the lower stage is some of the applied
carving, previously referred to in treating of panelling.
[Illustration: 207.--PULPIT, BLYTHBOROUGH CHURCH, SUFFOLK.]
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