Non-UK Misericords

medieval misericords misericord misericorde misericordes Miserere Misereres choir stalls

Misericords outside of the UK

Although this probably reflects more on the dissolution of the monasteries in the mid 16th century, and King Edward VI’s vehement hatred of Catholicism, British churches, largely, stopped creating misericords by the end of the 16th century, whereas continental Europe, continued the tradition well into the 18th century.

One difference that is worth noting between British (and Irish) and Continental misericords is the supporters - British misericords are likely to have supporters, the earlier examples are usually floral or leaf designs, whilst later misericords such as those at Beverley Minster, Ripon Minster and Manchester Cathedral have supporters which are an extension of the main design. Continental misericords, with limited exceptions, do not have supporters.

Sadly, many European misericords were destroyed in the latter part of the 18th or early 19th centuries; mainly this was due to a pan-European fuel shortage - at this time much of Europe was at war, or trading with distant countries, this meant that much of their hardwood forests were converted to ships. The poorer members of society would get their wood to cook and heat their homes with, wherever they could, and this included church carvings. By this time, however, the UK was a major coal producer, so it was not because the British were any more pious, that they kept more misericords, just more fortunate.

One thing I have noticed, whilst researching this website, is that European churches do not seem to have embraced the internet to the extent that British churches have. My sources have, therefore, had to be more tourist guides and Wikipedia than an official histories by the church concerned.