Historical sketches of old Charing.: The hospital and chapel of Saint Mary Roncevall. Eleanor of Castile, Queen of England, and the monuments erected in her memory.Galloway, James, Sir
History
Historical sketches of old Charing.: The hospital and chapel of Saint Mary Roncevall. Eleanor of Castile, Queen of England, and the monuments erected in her memory.
Galloway, James, Sir
Eleanor, Queen, consort of Edward I, King of England, -1290 -- Monuments; Hospital of St. Mary Rounceval
Legend:—
_Obverse_, ALIANORA DEI GRACIA REGINA ANGLI(E)
_Reverse_, (ALI)ANORA DEI GRA DNA HYBERNIE DUCISSA ACQUI(T)ANNIE
The chief glory, however, of the tomb still remains, namely, the great
bronze effigy of the Queen, the work of William Torel, goldsmith and
citizen of London. Torel designed and cast not only the effigy at
Westminster, but the replica which reposed on the tomb at Lincoln.
Records remain of enormous quantities of wax and of metal supplied to
Torel for this purpose. The effigies appear to have been cast in one
mould, and the work must have been difficult to execute. After their
completion the bronze castings were gilt, and special reference is made
to the purchase of gold florins for this purpose. These coins appear to
have come from abroad, and were obtained from the merchants of “Luka”
and others. The figure shown is of so noble a design that the wish
arises that it might be regarded as a portrait of the Queen. The
evidence, however, seems to be complete that the effigy represents
Torel’s ideal of a queen’s statue; nevertheless it remains to this day
perhaps the most remarkable example of a statue in metal dating from the
early “decorated” period of English art (fig. 12). Special financial
provision was made for the purpose of the religious services at Queen
Eleanor’s tomb, including gifts of land and money to the Abbey, the
proper employment of which was subsequently the source of much
discussion in the chapter.[56]
Footnote 56:
History of Westminster Abbey, by John Flete: edited by J. Armitage
Robinson, D.D., Cambridge, 1909.
The anniversary service in memory of the Queen took place on November
29, the eve of St. Andrew’s Day, and was continued up to the time of the
dissolution of the Benedictine community.
To obtain an idea of the appearance of this monument, it must be
recollected that not only was the tomb itself formed of finely decorated
stonework, but was surrounded with elaborate paintings, while the great
gilt effigy of the Queen was studded with the jewellery and enamels
which Edward gathered from the East and abroad. These he lavished with
the utmost profusion in decorating this, perhaps the principal, monument
to his wife.[57]
Footnote 57:
This tomb, and its ancient glory have been so well described that it
is not necessary to enter into greater detail in this place. The
reader is advised to go and study so much of it as remains. In
addition to the references given it will be of interest to read the
accounts given by Mrs. Murray Smith, “Westminster Abbey, its Story and
Associations, 1906,” and Dean Stanley’s “Historical Memorials of
Westminster Abbey,” 1869.
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