Although Alfred seems to have done so much to foster this art, there are, unfortunately, no specimens which have survived that can be assigned to any earlier date than that of his grandson Athelstan (925–40).
A small MS. known as Athelstan’s Psalter was principally written on the Continent in the ninth century, but many additions were made to it in England towards the middle of the tenth century. This MS. shows that some efforts had been made to replace the lost art of the Anglo-Celtic School, which had flourished more than 200 years before by a new style based on Continental models; and, although these miniatures may appear somewhat crude, they probably represent the best work of the English artists at this early period.
The first known example of actual Winchester work is the “Golden Charter” of King Edgar, in 966, now in the British Museum (Cott. MS. Vesp. A. VIII.). This represents an enormous advance on the crude paintings in Athelstan’s Psalter; a miniature on a purple ground shows King Edgar, standing between the Virgin and St. Peter, offering the Charter to the Saviour. This page is well designed and a fine decorative border surrounds the miniature.
The most famous example, however, is the well-known Benedictional of Æthelwold, in the Library of the Duke of Devonshire. If the student wishes for a full and illustrated description of this fine MS. he is referred to the twenty-fourth volume of the Archæologia.
This MS. was written by Godeman, a monk of the old Minster, at Winchester; it contains twenty large miniatures, each facing a benediction for the most important days, with seven others of groups of Confessors, Virgins, and Apostles at the beginning, and at the end the bishop is represented giving a benediction in his cathedral. All these miniatures, excepting the last, are surrounded with arches or frames of gold and colours, and a similar border surrounds the opening words of the benediction.
The Harleian Psalter (Harl. MS. 2904), in the British Museum, is another MS. of this school. It would take far too much space to go into details concerning this, but special mention should be made of the drawing of the Crucifixion. This is in outline and is slightly tinted and shaded. It is very interesting as showing the stage that figure-drawing had reached at this early period. One very characteristic feature of Winchester work is the curious “fluttering” drapery which is noticeable in practically all the work of this school.