ST. MARY’8 CHURCH, TAUNTON. 91 
acquainted with medieval legends, I transmitted a 
cast to Mr. Pugin, who kindly furnished me with a 
solution, most satisfactory to any person who takes 
the trouble to examine the original. Mr. Pugin 
says, that “ it represents the miraculous vision of the 
resurrection of our Lord by St. Gregory, (or Pope 
Gregory the Great) when officiating at hish mass.” 
The details are clearly to be discerned ; the altar 
with the niche containing the ceruets, (the forms of 
the latter being most intelligible) the conventional 
tomb,—a stone sarcophagus with our Lord rising, 
and two angels with outspread wings removing the 
shroud. St. Gregory raising the consecrated wafer, 
stands on the steps of the altar, one acolyte sup- 
ports the chasuble, another the taper; while two 
figures, apparently priests, are seated a little to the 
rear and at the side, one of them holding the triple 
crown of St. Gregory. Grotesque heads, with bold 
foliage, fill up the angles. A very peculiar and not 
very decent figure is supporting the altar. The 
features appear to have been systematically and 
wholly destroyed, but the drapery will be found to 
be very bold and effective. To my regret it was 
considered necessary to renovate these most inter- 
esting carvings, to correspond with the restored 
doorcase. Mr. Richardson (who restored the beau- 
tiful effigies of the Temple Church,) has added the 
new portions in mortar, in order that the original 
work might be altered as little as possible. 
Ian 
