MaterialsPurbeck MarbleThe earliest known centre of effigy making in England was established about 1210 on the Isle of Purbeck, probably at Corfe, Dorset. An important reason for the success of the marble was its coastal location which enabled it to be transported to most parts of the Kingdom, for without any good roads the mediæval tomb-maker had to rely mainly upon waterways as a means of transport for his heavy creations. It is, therefore, not surprising that most of the figures wrought in this famous atelier are found in the South of England, with very few north of the Trent. Purbeck marble is a dark, dun-coloured shelly limestone which only outcrops in the southern range of the Purbeck Hills on a line between Peveril Point, near Swanage, in the east and Worbarrow Tout in the west. Effigies made from the material are noted for a distinctive flatness, a characteristic that is caused by the limitations of the marble beds that were only 18 to 24 inches in depth. When polished, the smooth surface of these effigies assumes a dark hue, however, as many of the effigies were painted, this was not an important factor in the choice of material. Up to about 1250 there was a great demand for Purbeck marble effigies, however, after this time, owing to the popularity of cheaper and more easily worked freestone, the call for the Dorset material declined. The earliest of these effigies, that of Abbot Gilbert, who died in 1121, is in Westminster Abbey. In Leicestershire the first, indeed only extant example of a Purbeck marble creation is the miniature heart effigy of Robert de Roos, who died in 1285, and which is now in St Mary's, Bottesford. FreestoneMuch cheaper freestone soon took over from Purbeck marble as the medium for effigies. Although freestone has a much rougher surface than Purbeck marble, the appearance of these effigies was not like that which we now see. Today it is almost impossible to fully appreciate the medieval sculptor's art, for when made the effigies were covered in gesso, a mixture of sand and whiting, giving a kind of Plaster of Paris texture that was then prepared for painting. Inscribed to give a mail effect, the bright paint and gilt would have given a very fine appearance, that would have been just as grand as the more expensive Purbeck marble. Today, only the base crude core remains. There were various local differences in style caused by the quality and type of the local stone available, as well, of course, the different schools of artisans. In the Midlands the main stone used was a soft red sandstone, however, the coarse grain of this material often caused a bluntness of carving. WoodWooden effigies are mainly found in the period from 1280 to 1360. In England only about 80 have survived, two of them in Rutland – Ashwell and Tickencote.The popularity of wood over freestone was due to its relative lightness, which made it easier to transport and the fact that it was easier to carve and less liable to fracture. The artist would select a piece of good sound oak of sufficient size to enable him to carve a life-sized figure to which the shield would be attached by means of wooden pins. This accounts for the fact that in so many wooden effigies the shield is missing. After carving, the block was often hollowed out and filled with charcoal to prevent decay by damp. Today, as with the freestone creations, we cannot fully appreciate the surviving wooden effigies as they have lost all their gesso and paint. AlabasterAlabaster, a sulphate of lime, is found in the red marle of the upper Keuper beds in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and at Buttercrambe near York. A fine- grained form of gypsum, alabaster occurs in pillars of which only the top two or three feet contain the pure white material which makes the best effigies. When first quarried, alabaster is soft and easy to cut, but when exposed to the air it hardens and is thus capable of being polished like marble. However, the disadvantage of the material is that it is easily scratched, slightly soluble in water and can be destroyed by fire.The fourteenth and early fifteenth century quarriers cut the top layer of stone over a wide area leaving only the lower strata available for the later effigies. These have an orange-brown or green mottled appearance that results from iron-oxide and iron-sulphate staining. Indeed, so carefully was the material selected for the early effigies, that it is very difficult to distinguish them from those made out of marble. As the monuments were painted the quality of the later alabaster monuments was not so important, the colour being delicately applied so as not to destroy the translucent properties of the material. In the Midlands there were quarries at Hanbury and Tutbury (Staffordshire); Chellaston (Derbyshire) and Burton on the Wolds (Leicestershire). Sadly an art historian's error has resulted in Burton on the Wolds being confused with Burton on Trent. [Previous sentence revised by Bob Trubshaw 2025. See The 'forgotten' alabaster of Burton on the Wolds for more details.] Tutbury alabaster was distinctive for a red-brown mottling and Chellaston for green mottling. The main workshops being at Nottingham and Burton where, in 1538, there were 'many marblers working in alabaster' (John Leland, Itinerary). The craftsmen made models of wood or clay and, as the orders came in, the effigies were roughed out by masons, who used the models as templates. The only concession made to contemporary fashions was in ladies' costume and the high necked paudrons and square sabatons of the men. They did, of course, also follow the fashions in armour, although in many cases they were out of fashion by several years, a result, no doubt, of using up old stock. Used as a medium for effigies from about 1300 to 1600, the first known alabaster monument in England is that to John de Hanbury, in Hanbury, Staffordshire, who died in 1303. The earliest in our two counties is that to Roger Bellar, who died in 1326, at Kirby Bellars. Throughout the medieval period the Midland alabastermen continued to carve figures in the Gothic tradition: recumbent, hands in the attitude of prayer, bare heads on a tilting helm and feet resting on a dog or other animal. After about 1550 the men are usually depicted bearded, while the Gothic inscriptions continue to be carved in relief round the chamfer of the table. From the mid-sixteenth century the Midland alabastermen were rivalled by the Dutch who, based in Southwark, achieved a wide-spread reputation as tomb makers. They were relatively free from Gothic influences and introduced into England inscriptions on panels or lunettes. Another innovation was the arched canopies resting on Doric or Corinthian columns, culminating in lofty obelisks and achievements of arms. Some of the traits of the Southwark School are:
Two local examples of the Southwark school are the monuments to the Edward and John, the 3rd and 4th Earls of Rutland at Bottesford, which were crafted by Gerald Johnson. Roger, the 5th Earl, in the same church, is by Gerald's son Nicholas. This Southwark influence no doubt accounts for John Webster's comments in The Duchess of Malfi (1614). When the eponymous heroine is asked to choose the fashion of her husband's tomb she asks the tomb maker:
MarbleThe marble used in monuments is chiefly from one of four sources:
Coloured marble often had neo-classical association in that they were cut-up antique fragments – africano, paragone (red) and golden vein. (Theddingworth) Most favoured of all was the rich mustard coloured marble flecked with dark grey from Montarenti near Siene. By the end of the eighteenth century the trend for these coloured marbles disappeared with the introduction of uniform black and white and greys without veins.
Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland
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