Excursion to West Oxfordshire Gateway to the Cotswolds Saturday 14th April 2012

This excursion, led by Sally Badham, will visit a number of West Oxfordshire churches with good collections of monuments dating from the 14th to the 20th century. Two (Swinbrook and Stanton Harcourt) each contain an importaint series of monuments to a single family. The coach departs from Charlbury station c. 09.50 (train departs from Paddinton 08.21; connections from other stations via Reading and Oxford); we return in time for the 18.08 train to London Paddington. Please note: timings may have to be altered slightly once the new railway timetable is published in December.

North Leigh The main attraction is the Wilcote chapel with alabaster effigies to Sir William Wilcote (1410) and his wife. Other monuments include a brass to Thomas Bekingham (1431); effigial wall monuments to William Lenthall (1596) and Robert Perrot (1605); other mural monuments (1731-78) and a collection of 18th century brass coffin plates. Recently conserved chest-tombs in the churchyard.

Swinbrook The chancel is crammed with good monuments, the most important of which are the two dated 1613 and 1686, each with three tiers of effigies to males of the Fettiplace family. There are other wall monuments to the Fettiplaces and others (1623-1799) and 5 brasses (1470-1616) Gems in the churchyard include a bale tomb and headstones to the Mitford sisters Burford A wool church packed with monuments. Most eye-catching is the elaborate double decker tomb to Lord Chief Justice Tanfield (1625). There are also four brasses, including one in the churchyard (1437-1614) plus four tomb chests which have lost figures or inscription inlays; wall tablets of 1659 and 1661; wall monuments of 1569 and 1624; five tomb chests to the Sylvester familiy (1568-1626) plus other tomb chests; hanging wall monuments of 1674 and 1715; two cartouches of 1689 amongst other monuments. Cogges The main attractions are the effigy to Lady Margaret de Grey (1340) resting on a tombchest with the symbols of the Evangelists; the Blake memorial (1710); and a Baroque wall monument to Cruchfield family members (?1701)

Stanton Harcourt The Harcourt chapel will be opened specially for us. The church contains an effigy of a lady c. 1400; 14th century tomb chest with indents; two alabastet tombs (1471 and 1490); three brasses (1460-1519); a carved tomb chest (1547); several 18th and 19th century mural monuments, one (1718) with an epitaph by Alexander Pope; two recumbent effigies (1809 and 1847); a classical bust on a column (1816); and several 20th century incised floor slabs. There is also a medieval shrine of St Edburg of Bister.

The cost of the day's excursion ( including notes on the churches, morning coffee and afternoon tea) will be £25 to members of the CMS, and MBS and  £30 to non-members. Lunch is not included, but there is a good range of pubs and cafes etc at Burford.  Please note that this event is now fully booked.

 

	Exeter Study Day
	19th May 2012

Exeter Cathedral has a fine collection of monuments and related sculpture which has been subject in recent years to a great deal of close study. Most recently, the two early 14th century military effigies in the south choir aisle have been the subject of conservation. The Study day will draw together some of the strands and present the latest conservation discoveries.

The day will start at 10.00 outside the west front of the cathedral, where we will look closely at the wonderful medieval sculpture gallery and have access to the Grandisson Chapel. John Allan will lead this section. We will then tour the cathedral with specialist available to comment on the monuments, including Eddie Sinclair who will explain her work on the two military figures. Access to the pulpitum loft will be available. The afternoon session will consist of four research papers: John Allan (Exeter Cathedral Archaeologist): The Impact of Exeter Cathedral on Fourteenth Century Sulpture and Architecture in Devon and Cornwall. Brian & Moira Gittos: Exeter-related Monuments before the Carving of the Image Screen. Eddie Sinclair (Conservator): Conservation and Paint Analysis: Two 14th-century Monuments Revealed. Clive Easter: Monuments in Post-Restoration Devon: Artists, Styles and Workshops Tea will be served at 4.30 and the day will end at 5.00 pm

The cost to members is £20 (£25 to non members), including tea but not lunch. Cheques, payable to 'Church Monuments Society', together with the booking form should be sent to: Dr Clive Easter, 55 Bowden Park Road, Plymouth. PL6 5NG (tel: 01752 773634). Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope to receive a final reply. Click here for the booking form. Please Note: The final booking date is 21st April 2012.

	Excursion to South Yorkshire
	Saturday 23rd June 2012
This excursion, led by Patrick Farman, Peter Hacker and Tony Dodsworth, will visit a number of South Yorkshire churches with good collections of monuments dating from the 13th to the 19th century. We depart from Doncaster station at 10.30 am (to connect with the 8.30 am from King's Cross) and return in time for the 5.53 train to King's Cross. Please Note: Timings may have to be slightly altered once the new railway timetable is published in December. Please Note: It is regretted that we are unable to visit Wadworth Church, as originally planned, as the church is unable to accomodate the numbers on the excursion on that particular day. We will therefore start our excursion at Tickhill. Should anyone wish to cancel because of this, please let us know and a refund will be arranged. Some notes on the churches to be visited: Tickhill: Architecturally outstanding town church with a rich collection of monuments: 14 cross slabs (13th - 15th centuries); three recently uncovered 15th century effigial incised slabs; two brasses (1386 and 1500); alabaster tomb-chests and effigies to Thomas Fitzwilliam (d. 1487) and his first wife  c. 1530; and a stunning pink marble effigy to Lousia Blanche Foljambe (d. 1871) and her baby. Thryburgh: Two effigial incised slabs (1469 and 1485); two 14th century effigies to priests; good collection of mural monuments. Darfield: Alabaster effigies to a military figure and a lady, both c. 1410 but not believed to belong together; low standing wall monument to Mrs Godfrey (1658); inscription brasses (1666-1718); tomb-chest to William Wombwell (1695) and Elizabeth Copley (1742) Barnborough: Outstanding wooden military effigy (c. 1350); tomb canopy Percy Cresacre (1477) with many inscriptions and associated floor slab nearby; inscription brasses of 1517 and 1716.
The cost of the excursion (including morning coffee and afternoon tea) will be £25 to members of the CMS and MBS (£30 to non-members). Lunch is not included, but there is a good range of pubs and cafes at Tickhill. Numbers are structly limited to 33 so book early. Click here for a booking form.

Symposium 2012
17th - 19th August University Hall, Pen-y-Lan, Cardiff, South Wales
Places can now be booked for the 2012 symposium. The event begins with dinner on the Friday evening and the opening lecture; after breakfast on Saturday there is a full day coach excursion to the churches at Roath, Llandaff Cathedral, St Athan and to Margam for the Stones museum and abbey, followed, in the evening, by dinner and the members' contributions slot. After breakfast on Sunday there will be six lectures and the day will include morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea before the sympsium closes at 4.00 pm. This will be the first symposium the Society has held in Wales and will give members an excellent opportunity to become more familiar with the country's varied, but little-studied, monumental heritage.
Rhianydd Biebrach	The Medieval Episcopal Monuments of Llandaff Cathedral
Nancy Edwards	Monuments and Commemoration in Early Medieval Wales
Brian & Moira Gittos	Gresham Revisited: A Fresh Look at the Medieval Monuments of North Wales
Adam White	Monuments and Mortuary Chapels in the Early 17th Century. Some Welsh and English Case Studies
Diane A Walker	Commemorating an Honorable Scottish Ancestry in Cardiff: the Bute Mausoleum at Roath
Clive Easter	John Bushnell and the Myddletons at Chirk
Those wishing to give a short paper under the members' contributions slot can do so by contacting the organiser. The symposium will be held at the University Hall Campus, Pen-Y-Lan, Cardiff, which is about three miles from the city centre and set in its own pleasant grounds. Accomodation is in single en-suite bedrooms.                                   The cost of the full symposium is £180 for members and £195 for non-members. For those wishing to book for the Sunday lectures only (which will include lunch etc), the cost is £40 for members and £45 for non-members. The deadline for booking is 31st July 2012 Please click here for the booking form.
A Study Day on Renaissance Monuments Saturday 16th March 2013
A study day on the theme of The Renaissance in Great Britain and Ireland: Recent Reserarch and New Horizons will be held at the Senate House, London. Experts in the field will explore various aspects of the subject and there will be plenty of time for questions and discussions at the end. Further details and booking arrangements will be posted later in the year.

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Future Events

An excursion is planned to East Anglia led by Dr Julian Litten on 13th October 2012

 The 2012 AGM will be on Saturday 8th September and will visit St Margaret's Church, Westminster (near Westminster Abbey)  with the meeting itself being in the nearby Faith House.

 In 2013 there will be:

A South Lincolnshire Excursion led by Mr Thompson & Dr Carrington in April

An Excursion in Hampshire led by Professor Kemp in June

A Study Day in Puddletown, Dorset in August Date TBA

An Excursion based in Cirencester led by Drs Easter & Pridgeon in October

An Excursion in Northamptonshire led by Dr Wilson date TBA

An Excursion in Yorkshire date TBA

An Excursion in East Anglia date TBA

The Symposium in 2014 will be in Canterbury and titled Monuments of Power
The 2014 AGM will probably be at Greenwich

In 2015 there will be:

An Exursion in South Wales led by Dr Biebrach date TBA
 

Details of all these events will be posted as soon as I have the full details.