Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/436

 284 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF from the others, and was much richer. The centre of the upper range of niches may probably have contained the figure of our Saviour ; the sacred monogram being there several times introduced. " In this, as in the reredos on the other side of the church, the niches were found filled with fragments of figures, all more or less mutilated, and with their faces turned to the wall, to give a smooth surface for the plastering by which they were concealed from view. In one of the windows on the north side of the chancel, which had been filled up to receive some plastering and panelling, were also found an immense number of fragments of figures, canopies of niches, pinnacles, and other ornamental portions. Every one of the figures was headless ; and it is observable that those on which iconoclastic fury had been principally bestowed, were the blessed Virgin and the figures of ecclesiastics. Many of these were of great beauty, and the colouring and gilding were as fresh and bright as though only recently executed. At the time I was at Wells, no attempt had been made (or rather had only just begun to be made) to classify and arrange them ; but I have no doubt that since October last (the period of my visit to Wells) some progress has been made in ascertaining the appropriation of the various fragments. " The blue lines in the upper canopies on the drawing indicate a pre- sumed restoration of those portions, the whole of the projecting parts having been of course removed to make a smooth face for the plaster. The lower range of niches present indications of what seems to me a great singularity, viz. of having had double canopies. On one of the compartments I have ventured to show something of what I conceive to have been the design, leaving the other compartments as they exist at present. The colouring and gilding generally is somewhat dilapidated, but enough remained to enable me to make a restoration. " The reredos on the south side of the church is altogether of very different design, as wiU be seen by the drawing, and, as I think, of later date than the other. It was discovered nearly at the same time with that in the Lady Chapel. The chapel in which it exists is known both as St. Cuthbert's Chapel and as Tanner's Chantry ; on the south side, on the removal of some plaster, was found a mural inscription in black letter: — * ^nilttlcr^ai'C Ci^omat Canncr t<SX m fcigto ^te. ^attrtnat.' The recumbent figure of Jesse was evidently very boldly and beautifully executed, but, with the exception of the feet and some portions of the drapery, little more than the outline remains ; traces of the stem issuing from his body exists, and are shown in the drawing. The design of this reredos has not so much variety as the other, the niches being exactly similar in every instance, and the execu- tion not so good in some respects ; a portion of it has been entu'ely destroyed, as will be seen by reference to the plan, on which this part is indicated merely in outline. Erom the appearance of the masonry of the window on the exterior, and the gcnieral clumsiness of the interior, I am induced to think it must have been brought to this spot from some other part of the building, and, after its insertion, the niches that were there previously were destroyed. Some of the figures that remain hold in their hands scrolls, with inscriptions referring to the history of Jesse and his descendants ; and it may therefore b(fairly assumed that they originally filled the niches in this