3. Oak Wall-Cupboard in the house of I. Y. Yeates, Esq. near Sizergh. This is very good in general form and the lower part particularly well managed. It is comparatively of late construction, bearing the date 1695.
[XXIX.] Carved Oak Bread Tray and Andirons, &c.
The Tray is very beautiful in its foliage: it is also at Mr. Yeates’ house, of Parkhead. The fire plate furniture is at Levens, an ancient house with a very curious Dutch garden in excellent preservation. The two figures rest on French scroll-work, and seem to represent the huntsman and the student. The plate at the back of the grate is of the same date.
[XXX.] and [XXXI.] Figures of the Apostles.
Between the piers of Carlisle Cathedral are several large oak screens placed against the stalls of the prebends and painted on the side towards the aisles. Three of these give a series of pictures describing each the history of a Saint. They are much decayed, as is also the fourth which is divided into twelve compartments, filled by the twelve Apostles. The date of these paintings is not determined, but it is conjectured that the legends in English rhyme on the Histories of the Saints were written by Prior Senhouse whose name occurs in 1507, and internal evidence would not assign them much greater antiquity than 1500.
Over the figures of the Apostles are scrolls illuminated with the Apostles’ creed, and the name of the Apostle over whose head each particular scroll is placed. “Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem cœli et terræ. Petrus.” “Et in Jesu Christum filium ejus unicum, dominum nostrum. Andreu.” etc.
St. Simon is here represented not with the long saw usually attributed to him, but with a great axe, if the instrument in the hand of Mathias, which is too much decayed to be distinctly made out, has been a saw, these two saints have exchanged symbols, or possibly the painter has named them wrong. The figures are life size or somewhat smaller.
[XXXII.] Almeries.
The first of these, now in Weatheral Church was removed from another parish Church at a little distance, where it had long supplied the place of a Vestry, which office it now fills. The other is in the little chapel called St. Catherine’s in Carlisle Cathedral. Beside it is another of the same date which has been similarly decorated with a border of rosettes, within each of which however we find the letters T. G. in cypher. The style of decoration is very rude. Under the terminating ends of the hinges which seem intended to represent the heads of serpents, are remains of crimson velvet. These letters T. G. are the initials of Thomas Gondibour, Prior about 1490.