THE CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW, PLYMOUTH. 221 
thing similar at Beverley, and there is in it some resemblance to 
the famous crypt of St. Wilfrid at Ripon. 
Another most interesting discovery is that of the two sepulchral 
effigies recently found in the church. The largest is a stone of 
Purbeck, 7 ft. 3in. long, by 1 ft. 10}in. broad. It was found in 
May last, face downwards, in the south chapel, and evidently so 
placed at the last destruction, in 1826, as something to be got rid of 
as quickly as possible. Why it was not broken up as well as its 
companion, it is difficult to say. There is a tradition that there 
were twelve figures in the church similar to these, and although the 
suggestion has been ridiculed, I am not at all disinclined to believe 
that it may be true. We have in this county many sepulchral 
effigies of considerable value to the artist, the architect, and the 
antiquary. ‘They are frequently found in country churches, and 
range from the thirteenth century to the sixteenth. The two fine 
figures in their original positions in the church of Plympton St. 
Mary are well known, as well as those of Sir Ralph Gorges and 
his lady at Tamerton Fohott. We have no clue whatever as to 
who are represented by these figures, and any attempt to give them 
names would be but the purest speculation. But the interest is 
not diminished on this account, and I consider that their dis- 
covery is the most valuable ever made in St. Andrew’s Church. 
They should be carefully preserved, and placed in a conspicuous 
situation ; poor and disfigured as they are, they will be examined 
with a care which will not be devoted to the present restoration, 
the new carving, or to any other part of the church. Whether 
the two are to be considered as connected in any way, I am unable 
to say. They were found close together, and the presumption 
therefore is that they were removed from adjoining spots. Their 
age is about the same, apparently late in the thirteenth century. 
The larger and more perfect slab is of course the figure of a woman. 
The smaller is a male figure. Doubtless these effigies, with others 
that have perished, and much besides, had a place of honour in the 
completed church of 1490, 
For more than a hundred and thirty years after its presumed com- 
pletion we have little or no information as to the state of the church. 
In 1553, the King’s Commissioners were here. In spite of 
plunder in every direction, the royal revenues were lessening, 
and the Government was in debt to the extent of £250,000.* 
* Collier, 5. 
