Archaeological Journal/Volume 2/Notices of New Publications: Monumental Effigies of the Temple Church and Illustrations of the ancient stone and leaden coffins
Amongst various branches of Antiquarian research few have in recent times been more generally followed than sepulchral antiquities. Replete with curious and interesting information, the monumental memorials of our ancestors arrest our attention, even in their most mutilated and unsightly condition, by a certain noble simplicity of design, rarely however united with perfect artistic skill. They derive perhaps their greatest charm from this cause, that they were, to the full extent of the sculptor's ability, portraitures; and the faithful reproduction of all accessory details enables us by means of these defaced effigies to convert into a brilliant pageant historical scenes which the tedious chronicler may have failed to invest with any charm. There are scarcely any of the remarkable early memorials of this kind which possess a higher degree of interest than the figures in the Temple Church, generally, but as Mr. Richardson appears to conclude, erroneously supposed to be memorials of Knights of the Order of the Temple. It is not even satisfactorily ascertained that the cross-legged effigies of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were portraitures exclusively of Knights "of the Holy Voyage," and if in truth this attitude had been chosen as a distinctive mark of the crusader, it is hardly to be supposed that it would have been exclusively adopted in our own country; it is remarkable that no cross-legged monumental figure has hitherto been noticed in any other part of Europe. Much valuable information has been collected by Mr. Richardson, and the investigator of sepulchral antiquities will find a mass of curious evidences in the two works to which we desire to call the attention of our readers. They are especially valuable as comprising the results of careful personal observation: it was to Mr. Richardson that the task of restoring these much defaced effigies was assigned, and although many may regret the depreciation of their value as authentic and original examples, preferring the undeniable evidence afforded by the broken sculpture, to the more sightly aspect which it now presents, every one must commend the perfect skill of the restorer, and the conscientious manner in which he has recorded the process and circumstances of renovation. With his works in our hands we are enabled satisfactorily to discern what portions are of undeniable authority, and to distinguish those which have been, by means of a most ingenious process of his invention, admirably supplied. The recent discoveries on the site of the Chapter House at Lewes will possibly lead many to consult the curious statements published by Mr. Richardson in his notice of the leaden coffins discovered in the Temple Church. They appear to be unique, and the accurate plates are highly to be esteemed as memorials of their curious character. Some interesting examples of ancient interments in lead appear to have escaped the diligent researches of Mr. Richardson, such as the leaden coffin discovered on the Ermin street near Gloucester in 1781, supposed by Mr. Douglas to be Roman, but probably of the Saxon period[1]. The leaden coffins found more recently in the neighbourhood of London and at Colchester, as also on the site of Wymondham Abbey[2], may also deserve attention, for the purpose of comparison with the more richly ornamented cists represented in Mr. Richardson's work. To the valuable facts connected with sepulchral usages he has added a notice and representations of some curious examples of ancient pavement tiles, and of small earthen vessels discovered in the excavations at the Temple Church. It would have been interesting, had it been practicable, to have ascertained whether any of these vessels had been deposited in the graves of ecclesiastics or other persons. It was usual, as it is well known, to inter with the corpse of a priest, a chalice, usually of pewter, but in default of such vessel of metal, it occasionally occurred, as we learn from the ancient Custumal cited by Martene, that an earthen cup was deposited in its place—"si non habetur (calix) stanneus, saltem Samius, id est, fictilis." There was also another singular purpose which might have occasioned the deposit of such earthen vessels. In the relation of the interment of a French Bishop it is stated that a lamp was placed in his coffin, so that at the moment when it was closed it might still be full of light[3]. Certain earthen vessels, not very dissimilar in form to one found at the Temple, were discovered in sepulchral cists near the abbey church of St. Denis; they had evidently served as small funereal lamps. [4]footnote of unknown location (Wikisource contributor note)