81 



the poleyns of leather protecting the knees. When pieced to- 

 gether the sculpture measures about 2ft. 6in. in length by about 

 22in. in width. 



It is to be regretted that the heraldic shield (which would 

 certainly . form part of it when perfect) was not found, and so 

 we are unable to say whom the effigy was intended to commem- 

 orate. The theory that the lion (with a mythical beast in its 

 jaws), on which the feet rest, is indicative of a member of the 

 Brus family is untenable, The lion is purely ornamental, and is 

 commonly found in English effigies of the period. We are, 

 therefore, quite in the dark as to whose the effigy was, or how 

 it came to be found where it was. From the unusual sharpness 

 of the carving, the absence of any trace of mortar on the under 

 side, and the fact that it was found by the side of an ancient 

 road, it seems reasonable to think that the effigy was never 

 fixed in its intended position in a church, but that it met with 

 an accident on its way to its destination, and was thrown aside. 



It should be noted that the moulded edge of the slab (with 

 the four-leaf ornament so characteristic of the Decorated period of 

 Gothic architecture) is not continued round the left side, which 

 is broken and rugged. From this one may, perhaps, surmise 

 that the monument was a double one of the knight and his 

 lady at his side. A broad slab carrying so much weight would 

 be all the more liable to come to grief on a rough, hilly road, 

 like that by the side of which the remains have been found. 

 Perhaps, in this, we have an explanation of the presumed 

 disaster. 



The sculpture is most certainly a piece of English work, 

 and my own idea (although it is only a guess) is that it was on 

 its way from York to some church on the northern side of the 

 hills. That it came from the same sculptor's shop as the effigies 

 at Ingleby Arncliffe seems almost certain from the marked 

 similarity in treatment of the ornamental accessories. 



Coatham, January, 1901. T. M. Fallow. 



We are indebted to Mr. Fallow for the use of the block, by which we 

 are enabled to illustrate the above notice. 



