The misericords and history of Enville,
St Mary the Virgin.
St Mary’s has four, 15th century misericords.
Corpus of misericords
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N01
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Sir Yvain. Gate house of a castle. The portcullis has descended and caught a knight on horseback. One of the knight’s legs
and the rear of the horse can be seen. Two soldiers’ heads peer through the upper side-windows of the gatehouse and a
woman’s head is looking out of another window.
Supporters - Castle tower with arch under which stands a mailed knight.
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N02
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Tutivillus. Woman holding rosary and a man holding a missal seated together in a pew. The devil stands behind with wings outspread and eavesdrops.
Supporters - Grotesque monster.
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S01
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Two dogs attacking a muzzled bear; a man sits in a tree behind watching.
Left Supporter - Man seated on the ground holding a pole to which the chain of the bear is attached.
Right Supporter - A woman carrying her baby on her back slung in a shawl.
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S02
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Angel, covered with feathers and with wings outspread sitting cross-legged under a battlemented canopy playing a stringed instrument
Left Supporter - A small angel playing a harp.
Right Supporter - Angel playing a guitar [damaged by wood beetle].
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NOTICE All images on this page are copyright David Taylor
Please click on the thumbnails for larger images.
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History of St Mary the Virgin, Enville, Staffordshire.
There has been a church on this site since at lease 1100, and possibly much earlier, as there is a small Saxon stone figure above the arcading of the south aisle.
The nave was built about 1100, a Transitional chancel was built by Roger de Birmingham, sometime between 1272-1307. The Aisle is probably late 14th or early 15th century.
A fairly major restoration occurred in 1749, which included the chancel being re-modelled and the family pew of the Greys, Earls of Stamford and Warrington, were re-sited at the west end in what is now the choir vestry.
In 1871, Sir George Gilbert Scott oversaw another restoration, this one replace the, by then, crumbling tower with, what is arguably, his best Somerset style tower.
St Mary’s retains some fine medieval glass, including a 14th century heraldic window. Much of the glass was replaced during the Victorian restoration, by the firm of Clayton and Bell. More recently during the 21st century, Alan Younger has added 2 windows, including a nativity window.
St Mary’s does not appear, as of October 2008, to have an official website, however The Enville Parish Council website may prove useful.
Click here for more local Misericords
Click here for more 15th century misericords