THE MONUMENTS IN THE PRIORY CHURCH OF ABERGAVENNY. (Abstracts from the work of Octavius Morgan, Esq., M.P., F.R.S., &c., &c., published at Newport in 1872, with remarks by the Rev. F. T. Havergal). Though castle here through tracts of tyme is worne, CHURCHYARD. THE Honor, or Lordship of Abergavenny, is one of the most ancient baronies, and was probably granted very soon after the Conquest. St. Mary's Church belonged to the Priory of Benedictine, or Black Monks, founded in the reign of Henry I. (1100-1135), by Hameline de Belun, or Baladun, the first Norman Lord of Abergavenny. The ancient Parish Church of St. John stood within the walls; the Priory and this Church without, by the east gate. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1543, Henry VIII. founded the Grammar School on the site of the old Parish Church of St. John's, and the parish appears then to have taken the Church of the Priory in place of St. John's. The Priory consisted of a prior and four monks at the time of the dissolution; and the estates, which were estimated at the value of £80 yearly, were granted to James Gunter, of Breconshire, and have since passed by marriage through the families of the Milbournes, Harleys, Swinnertons, to the Kemeys Tynte family. The monumental effigies in this Church have been noticed from an early date. Thomas Churchyard, in his poem on "The Worthiness of Wales," published in 1587, gives a long description of them, when they were in a perfect condition, and when the windows contained the arms, in coloured glass, of the families and Lords of Abergavenny. Mr. Richard Symond's "Diary of the Marchings of the Royal Army in 1645," printed by the Camden Society in 1859, gives a still more detailed account of the monuments, windows, and their heraldic bearings, at that time still undisturbed. Gough, in his edition of Camden, shows that they remained in the same condition the following year 1646, but from this date there is no authentic record, either as to when they were mutilated, or when they were repaired. It is probable that they were mutilated during the Rebellion, and restored in Charles II.'s reign. The monumental effigies form a very instructive series from the 13th to the 17th centuries, showing the characteristic changes of four centuries in arms, armour, and costumes. They are of wood, stone, and alabaster, and all of remarkably good type and character, and possess much historical interest, both local and general. Mr. Octavius Morgan describes them in the following order, as represented by photographs : No. I.-GEORGE DE CANTELUPE (c. 1275). This figure, carved in oak, is the most ancient, and one of the most interesting of these knightly effigies. It is about 5ft. 4in. in length, and represents a young man in armour, of slender and graceful frame and handsome countenance. The head rests on two cushions, the upper being placed diagonally on the lower one; the left leg is crossed over the right; the feet, still perfect, resting on a lion, whose head has long since been wanting. The effigy is supposed to have been originally painted and gilt. The details of the chain armour and other portions would thus be delineated instead of being carved in relief. From the style of the armour, the date has been fixed as about 1275, or the latter part of the 13th century, that is a century earlier than the Church it now lies in. The figure and bed on which it lies are formed from a block of wood hollow throughout, originally made so with a view of better preservation and to avoid cracking, and without doubt it was coloured. It is one of the very finest of the few remaining wooden effigies. The one at Gloucester to the Conqueror's son is not so perfect. The one at Marcle is very bare, and that at Haywood is of an ecclesiastic of much less interest.* The effigy, from its date, is supposed to represent George de Cantelupe, the son of William de Cantelupe and Eva, the daughter of William de Braose, and heiress in her own right of the Lordship of Abergavenny. He was born at Abergavenny on Good Friday, 1253, and died on St. Mark's Day, the 25th April, 1273. He married a daughter of Edmund Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, but left no issue, and was the last of the line of Cantelupe, who held the Lordship of Abergavenny. No. II.-SIR WILLIAM HASTINGS? (1349). An effigy, carved in freestone, which is believed to have been brought from the Dundry Quarries, near Bristol, and apparently undisturbed. It represents a knight in armour of the 14th century style. It lies in a recess under a window. It is about 6 feet long. The head rests on a cushion. Part of the body and right arm have been broken away, probably removing the shield mentioned in Churchyard's poem : His shield of black he bears on brest, A raggid sleeve in top and crest The right-hand grasps the end of his dagger; a sword is at his left side; and the right leg passes over the left. The small semi-octagonal pedestal is stated by Symonds to have held the helmet of the knight; but, if so, it must have been a very small one. The effigy seems to have been a likeness, and to have represented a man of at least thirty years of age, with fat swollen features, and an unpleasant expression. *There is also in Clifford Church, near Hay, an ancient effigy of an ecclesiastic, carved out of a block of oak, hollowed out posteriously, in an excellent state of preservation. (EDIT.) There is much difficulty in identifying this monument. Mr. Octavius Morgan attributes it to Sir William Hastings, an illegitimate son of John Lord Hastings, and a half-brother of Lawrence Hastings, Lord of Abergavenny. He died unmarried in 1349. No. III.-LAWRENCE DE HASTINGS (AUG. 13, 1348). An altar tomb of freestone in excellent state. The effigy represents a knight in armour of the 14th century. It represents a powerful man, about 6 feet in length, upwards of 30 years of age. His head rests on his helmet, his feet on a bull, the hands being raised over the breast in the attitude of prayer. A shield of the heater shape hangs on the left side. One small military figure remains in the lower part of the tomb. The monument has been mutilated, and much encroached upon by another tomb at a much later period. The identification is somewhat doubtful, but it is believed to represent Lawrence de Hastings, who died in 1348, aged 30. He was the last of the Lords of Abergavenny buried in the Priory Church. His son and grandson were buried at Grey Friars, in London; and on the failure of the male line of Hastings, the Barony passed to other noble families who did not live at Abergavenny. Nos. IV. AND V.-SIR WILLIAM AP THOMAS (1446) AND LADY GWLADYS, HIS WIFE, DAUGHTER OF SIR DAVID GAM (1454). An altar tomb in alabaster, with two recumbent effigies, a knight and a lady at his right side, in the style of 1450. The monument has been sadly mutilated. The length of the figure of the knight is 6 ft. 4 in., and around his neck is a collar of S.S., having a lozenge-shaped jewel attached. The head rests on a helmet; the feet on a lion. The feet of the lady rest on two small dogs, who hold the ends of the mantle in their mouths. The sword is broken away from the knight; the dagger is on the right side. The carved alabaster base on either side has numerous small effigies, in very rich work. All the heads of the figures remain, but slightly injured. The eastern lower panel, representing the B.V. Mary, has some ancient colour remaining on it, and is a fine piece of work. The two canopies with some of the panels forming the lower part of the tomb are supposed to have belonged to the reredos of the Priory, and not originally to the tomb. The effigies represent Sir William ap Thomas and his second wife Gwladys, by whom he had Sir William Herbert, the first created Earl of Pembroke of that family, Sir Richard Herbert, of Coldbrook, and three daughters. Nos. VI. AND VII.-SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF COLDBROOK (c. 1470), SON OF SIR WILLIAM AP THOMAS, AND HIS WIFE MARGARET, DAUGHTER OF THOMAS AP GRYFFYD. A 14th century altar tomb in alabaster, once rich and beautiful, but now much disfigured and mutilated. The effigy of the knight is 6ft. 4in. in length, in armour. The head rests on the helmet, which is surmounted by his crest, on a wreath, viz., a sheath of arrows, the points downwards. He is bare-headed, without bascinet, and his hair cut short and square across the forehead. Round his neck he wears a collar, composed of alternate single roses and suns, two of the badges of the House of York, and to this is appended, as a jewel, a lion sejant. The sword is broken away from the left side; on the right the remains of a dagger are seen. His feet rest on a lion. The whole figure is spare and thin for so tall and powerful a man. The effigy of the Lady Margaret is of the same length as her husband (6ft. 4in.), and proportionally stout; which, if correct, represents her as a woman of colossal stature and prodigious power. Her dress is close-fitting, with tight sleeves, and cuffs at the wrists; a mantle overall. The feet rest on two small dogs, wearing collars with bells on them, and holding the corners of the mantle in their mouths. The sides of the tomb are filled up with projecting crocketed gables and pinnacles over niches. They are very fine, and quite as perfect as could be expected. On the north side are nine niches, eight containing angels holding shields, whose coloured heraldry has altogether vanished, and the ninth a small knight in armour. The south side is irregularly filled up with angels and two figures in armour-the wider panels probably formed the ends of the tomb. The canopies at the head are supposed to have formed part of the old reredos. No. VIII.-SIR RICHARD HERBERT, OF EWYAS. An alabaster effigy of a knight in armour (6 ft. 6in. long), under a recessed arch with crocket pinnacles. The figure is bare-headed; the hands being clasped in prayer; the head rests on a helmet; a sword at his right side; a lion at his feet. He wears a large collar of SS., with a crop patée as a pendant. Around the edge of the tomb is this inscription : : "Hic Jacet Richardus Herbert, de Ewyas, miles qui obiit nono die. Anno Regni Regis Henrici Octavi 2d Cujus A ̃ia Propitietur Jes.-Amen." The first part of this inscription is modern, but the latter half is original. The lower part of the tomb is filled up with angels holding shields, and saints with books. The arms of Sir Richard are given in the triangular space above the arch. The carving at the back of the recess does not belong to the tomb. No. IX.-EVA DE BRAOSE (? 1246). An altar tomb of freestone, with a recumbent female figure, 4ft. 6 in. long, much mutilated older than the Church, and certainly not in its original position. The head is uncovered, and rests on two cushions, the lower one square, with a tassel at each corner, the upper one long, with a tassel at each end. The dress is a closefitting kirtle, closed with a single row of small flat buttons closely set to the waist, and then becoming more full. The feet rest on an animal, probably a dog. The right hand lies across the body at the waist, and the left hand held something, said by Churchyard to have been a squirrel, but now broken away. It seems to have been attached by a chain, which passes over the body with a sweep, and terminates in a wide slit or pocket in the side of the kirtle. This monument is supposed to represent Eva, daughter of William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, and wife of William de Braose, the last Lord of Abergavenny of that name. She died in 1246. Churchyard says, the story handed down was, that the lady had a pet squirrel which escaped, and she, in trying to recover it, overbalanced herself, fell from the Castle wall, and so lost her life. The animal is supposed to have been represented on her tomb in commemoration of the event. This effigy has certainly no characteristic whatever of the 13th century. Its true date is about 1300 to 1320, and, therefore, if it represents Eva de Braose, it must have been made long after her death. No. X.-EVA DE CANTELUPE (1257). This is by far the most interesting and remarkable effigy in the Church. It is an excellent specimen of sculpture, and all its details are rich and beautiful. The coarse masonry beneath detracts greatly from its fine appearance. It is an altar tomb of hard gritstone, with a recumbent female figure 4 ft. 3 in. in length. The face has been much injured. The head rests on an oblong cushion, dressed in a whimple with a veil hanging down behind. The figure wears a state mantle; the hands are raised upon the breast in prayer, holding a heart between them. The feet rest on a dog. The most interesting circumstance is, that the body of the figure below the hands is covered with a long heater shield, 23 in. by 17 in., with the Cantelupe arms, covered in relief by three very large fleur-de-lis, two and one. This is supposed to be the earliest representation of a shield on a female figure, and it enables the monument to be identified as that of Eva de Cantelupe, daughter and co-heiress of William de Braose, Lord of Abergavenny; she married William de Cantelupe, who in right of his wife became Lord of Abergavenny. He died in 1256, and left his widow Baroness in her own right. She died in 1257, leaving one son, George de Cantelupe, represented by the effigy in oak, in this Church, already described. This lady must have been a near relative of the Bishops Cantelupe, of Worcester and Hereford. St. Thomas de Cantelupe, Bishop of Hereford, bore three fleur-de-lis, which appear at the present time as the arms of the see of Hereford. There is an effigy of diminutive size, but of surpassing beauty, in Castle Frome Church, which represents a knight holding a heart in his hand. |