II.— Effigies of Saxon Bishops at Wells

In the choir aisles of the Cathedral Church of Wells there is a series of recumbent effigies of Saxon bishops, which have not received the attention they deserve. Solemn figures, boldly sculptured, with a rich variety of dress and pose, they are the equals in grace and dignity of the famous statues on the west front. They are far better preserved, for they have not been worn by the weather, and apart from some accidental breakages they are in excellent condition. If they do not come from the great sculptors who wrought the figures outside, they are the work of their fathers before them, and they have something to tell us of the development of English carving in the west. Not less interesting than their art i s the history of the successive changes of name and of position which they have undergone in the course of seven centuries

Ancient history · Anglo saxon · Art · Bishops · Carving · Choir · Dignity · Political science · Visual arts · History · Law · Medieval Literature and History · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity · Scottish History and National Identity