Il8 MORTUARY CHAPELS, LICHFIELD. 



Below these two windows is a stone coffined recess, measuring 

 internally 6 ft. 3 in. long, by 2 ft. broad and 18 in. deep, and 

 I am told that undoubted traces have been found of its having 

 once been occupied by a lead coffin. This receptacle forms a 

 component part of the design ; the front of it is panelled after 

 the same pattern that prevails on the walls of the Lady Chapel 

 just below the battlements. It is also evident, from a careful 

 inspection of the recesses that flank the central one, that these 

 also have each had their coffined receptacles, ornamented in the 

 same way as that which now remains. These would be removed 

 when the outer doorways were constructed. 



Sepulchral recesses in the outer walls are not of nearly so 

 frequent occurrence as those in inner walls, but several instances 

 may be noticed in Derbyshire churches e. g., North Winfield, 

 South Normanton, Church Broughton, and Sawley, where there 

 are sepulchral recesses in the south chancel walls, all of the 

 fourteenth century. In the case at Sawley, the effigy (which 

 has been recently most wrongfully displaced) is probably that 

 of a Prebend and Treasurer of this Cathedral, who seems to 

 have rebuilt the chancel. At Crich the first chaplain of the 

 chantry of SS. Nicholas and Katharine, founded in 1350, was 

 buried in an outer recess in the north wall, that aisle having 

 been rebuilt by the founder, who himself occupies a niche on 

 the inner side of the same wall. Whenever evidence can be 

 obtained about such recesses, it is almost invariably made 

 manifest that they were intended for founders or co-founders 

 of the structure. If the date of the Lady Chapel can be 

 determined with precision, we also obtain the date of these 

 three chambers with their outer tombs, for, as has been already 

 remarked, they are a component part of the fabric itself. 



It has hitherto been stated in all the numerous works treating 

 on our English Cathedrals, as well as in the histories, guides, 

 and more critical surveys of Lichfield in particular, that the 

 Lady Chapel was begun by that fearless and munificent pre- 

 late, Walter de Langton, who ruled over this see from 1296 to 

 132 1, but that his death occurring before its completion, it was 

 finished by funds left by him for that purpose. But on looking 



