Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/158

 r Dtvon Notss and Queries* 109 76. Thb Recently Discovered Fresco in Ashton Church. — During the work of restoration lately undertaken in Ashton Church, it was found necessary to take down and re-erect the wooden structure known as the Chudleigh monu- ment. It commemorates Sir George Chudleigh, who died in 1657, and is chiefly remarkable for its display of painted heraldry. Previous to removing the monument some slight indications of fresco work were apparent about the church, which, so far as revealed, consisted only of bands of reddish brown outlining the formerly existing roodloft of the screen, and there were also marks of the same colour in one or two other positions. Upon disengaging the monument from the wall, however, a painting of considerable interest was dis- closed, though unfortunately in a very faded condition. It represents a threequarter figure of our Saviour surrounded by the instruments of His Passion, the whole being painted in monochrome on a red ground. The face is nearly obliterated, but the outline of the beard and the flowing hair about the shoulders, as well as the hands and flngerst may be distinctly traced. In one or two parts the evidences required slight additional emphasis in reproducing the subject for illustration. The sketch will perhaps better explain the work than any detailed description. It will be observed that to the left of our Lord's head there appear to be three small scrolls, but no inscription is visible. The representation doubtless included also the wound of the spear, and of the crown of thorns there are some faint signs. The fresco occupies the space between the flrst and second window openings on the north side of the church, and measures 51 inches in width by 7 feet to the under side of the beam of the cross, which delimits the area of the red ground, and to the top of the cross it is slightly over 8 feet. From the bottom of the picture to the floor is 5 feet. The striking similarity in the design of the figure and its accompanying emblems, with their treatment in 'the Mass of St. Gregory,' seems to suggest that this may have been the upper portion of the same subject, and that the legend was here repeated. Most probably, therefore, did a series of frescos extend round the lower part of the walls of the Lady chapel in continuation of the panel paintings at the back of the screens.