MURAL PAINTINGS IN CORNISH CHURCHES. 139 



During the seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, life-sized 

 paintings on panel of Moses and Aaron were often placed on each 

 side of the altar, as at Launceston, Kilkampton, and elsewhere. 



Two or more series of paintings are often found in one 

 church. Thus at Talland, the first series (which may date from 

 the 1 3th century and the colour of which was extremely vivid) 

 was painted over with a second series of demons, dwarfs, etc. ; 

 and examples also exist at Tintagel and Breage, at which latter 

 place one of the superimposed texts has heen wisely allowed to 

 stand when the other pictures were cleaned at the recent 

 restoration. 



There are, however, still a few churches unrestored in which 

 the original surface remains, although covered with whitewash, 

 and it is to be hoped that when these churches are taken in hand 

 a careful search, under the guidance of an expert, may be 

 made to discover and carefully uncover the mediaeval paintings 

 which in all probability still exist, although hidden fi'om view. 



Twelve Consecration Crosses were usually painted on the 

 interior walls of the church (three on each face) on the spots 

 which the Bishop anointed with holy oil at the ceremony of 

 dedication, but no examples in Cornish churches are now known 

 to exist. 



Passing from the Mural decorations, it is sad to record the 

 havoc that has been wrought in screens and roofs, timber work 

 which once glowed with colour, and panels iilled with painted 

 Saints and Bishops. 



What would we not give now to possess the great Rood 

 Screen of St. Columb Minor Church, " a most curious and costly 

 piece of workmanship, carved and painted with gold, silver, 

 vermilion, and bice, the masterpiece of art in these parts of that 

 kind," but it was destroyed ruthlessly in 1795; or that of the 

 chapel of S. Michael's Mount, carved and painted with the history 

 of the Passion, now removed ; or that of Morwinstow, carved 

 with the most beautiful workmanship, with doves flying amongst 

 oak leaves and vine branches with foxes, richly gilt and painted, 

 cut down and burnt by the Parish Clerk in 1834 ? 



What St. Burian has lost by the destruction in 1814 of the 

 beautiful oak screen, reaching clear across the church, of rich 



