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The
photograph shows the tomb of Anthony Forster
(ob. 1572), of Walter Scott's Kenilworth
fame, and his wife Ann (ob 1599), in the
chancel of St Michael's Church, Cumnor,
Oxfordshire (formerly Berkshire). Dr Impey
of English Heritage would be very interested
in any views or advice on the following:
1.
Could this have been made for or by Forster
in or around 1572, or it likely to be early,
made in preparation for his decease? (if
the latter it can't really be before 1558
when he came to Cumnor)
2. The inscription
is clear that Ann Forster is buried in or
near it. Given the style of the thing, which
I take to be more or less inconceivable
in or after 1599, is it probably that the
inscription which tells us about Forster
(the same piece of metal in the same hand)
was prepared after Forster's death but well
before hers?
3. The tomb is fairly standard
late-medieval type, as far as I know. Mixing
up Renaissance detail with gothic is a normal
mid 16th century thing, I suppose, but I
would be very interested to know of any
other examples of this type of gothic tombs
with this sort of detailing.
4. Other
examples of the pure gothic version.
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It
is structurally all of a piece (not adapted)
and certainly made new for Forster, as his
badges appear all over it.
Any help would
be gratefully received and acknowledged,
in an eventual publication on the medieval
and Tudor Cumnor Place.
Dr
Impey may be contacted:
Dr
Edward Impey
Director of Research and
Standards
English Heritage
1 Waterhouse
Square
138-142 Holborn
London EC1N
2ST
tel: 020 7973 3313
fax: 020 7973
3546
e-mail:
Edward.Impey@english-heritage.org.uk
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