ecclesiastics, viz., the chancel; whereas the rest of the structure, where the general public performed their devotions, was entirely destitute of any, except in some instances where low stone seats were built alongside the walls. Moreover, no parishioner could claim any part of the space as his or her own right, to the exclusion of others. When they knelt, it was either upon the rushes with which the floor was strewn, or upon mats brought for the purpose. In commenting upon one of the decrees of the Synod of Exeter, held under Bishop Quivil in 1287, Mr. A. Heales2 remarks: "We find no ground for supposing that any individual appropriation of places in the body of the church existed either legally or illegally, until a very much later date."3 Nor was it, apparently, until the fifteenth century that such appropriation commenced. Most probably the circumstance of the members of the same family performing their devotions in one particular place, led to the gradual merging of custom into right, prior to the introduction of fixed seats. An apparent exemplification of this is contained in a document, dated 1490, relating the investigation of some asserted rights of this kind by the "kirkgraves," or churchwardens, of Kirkburton Church, Yorkshire, a part of whose decision was, that "John Jakson his wyff and his menze [family] of dutye and ryght ought to knell at ye said fourem lynge in variance next to ye pyllor of ye same, in lykewysse as yare ancestours hath doon without tyme of mynd. And then next unto her & her menze ye wyff of William Morehouse and her menze.' "4 No doubt stools, small moveable seats, and loose benches followed, then moveable pews. (There is an illustration of a moveable pew, preserved in Chelmorton Church, Derbyshire, in volume of Anastatic Drawing Society for 1876, plate 41.) This, with plenty of exceptions, was probably the succession of seats in rural churches like that of East Budleigh, down to the time of the Reformation. It is, however, certain that many churches, especially the more important ones, had pews in the previous century; but in the sixteenth" the churches were still frequently only fitted in part with pews, 2 The History and Law of Church Seats, or Pews (2 vols., 1872), the principal authority on the subject. 3 I. 75. 4 Journal of Brit. Archæol. Assoc. xxx. (1874) 227. 5 The Rev. J. C. Blomfield remarks, in his account of Bicester Church, "Before the end of the sixteenth century... wooden seats, at first small moveable stools, and then fixed benches, with backs and ends, some of which were remaining as late as 1862, were placed over the entire area."-Hist. of Bicester (1884), 82. and . . . especially in country places, even so much was not universal till long afterwards. The leading authority applies the term pew, "as in its earliest use, to any church-seats intended for the accommodation of the congregation," and we accept this definition as the correct one." The pews of our parish church remain, as a whole, much in the same position and condition as when they were originally fitted, more than 350 years ago, although some of the ends, more especially along the east wall of the nave, have evidently been shifted from other parts of the edifice. They are divided into separate blocks by three separate alleys or passages, one in either aisle, and a central one, much wider, and extending from the tower to the chancel. These are crossed at right angles by two others, one opposite the south door, the other near the east-end of the nave and aisles. "The early pews," writes Mr. Heales, "were, beyond all question, simply a row of benches with backs; and those which are now commonly termed open seats,' are examples of early pews, or copies or imitations of them. They were always substantial, and of good, durable material, such as oak or beech, and capitally joined and fitted." This, as far as it goes, is an accurate description of those of East Budleigh, and reads at first like an extension of Wordsworth's lines: "The floor Of nave and aisle, in unpretending guise, 6 A. HEALES, Op. cit. i. 59. "9 7 The History of Pues was written by the Rev. J. Mason Neale, for the purpose of advocating the use of open benches in the place of "pues," and he employs rather strong language in denunciation of the latter. (3rd edit. 1843, 88.) In it he affirms, that "pues were not in use before the Reformation," and alludes to the "Puritanick association of Pues." (Ibid. 4, 98.) It is noteworthy that former editions of Hook's Church Dictionary contain the statement, that "Pews, according to modern use and idea, were not known till long after the Reformation"; but this is omitted in the edition of 1887. The assertion of Mr. Neale is directly negatived by the published parish accounts of Ludlow and of St. Michael's, Cornhill, proving, as they do, that in the fifteenth century pues, sometimes owned by individuals and enclosed by doors-to which the definition of a pew in modern dictionaries, as 'an enclosed seat in a church," is strictly applicable-were to be found in some parish churches. One example will suffice: "1457. payd for an henge for Russes wyfes pewe iiijd." (Ch. W. Accounts St. Michael's, Cornhill, 11.) According to Parker (Glossary of Architecture, 1850, art. "Pew") "this mode of fitting the naves of churches was certainly very general for a long time before the Reformation," but he qualifies it by adding, "it was probably not universal." 8 Op. cit. i. 159. 9 The Excursion, bk. 5. All are constructed in a similar manner. The material is wholly of oak, darkened by age, and from 3 to 4 inches thick. The backs are very slightly inclined, and, except on the pew-ends, there is a continuous moulded capping. (Vide plate 7, b.) The book-boards are 5 inches, and the seats 13 inches wide, both fixed perfectly horizontal. The ends of the pews, or bench-ends, as they are sometimes termed, are typical of this county and of Somerset, being square-ended and of the same height as the rest of the woodwork, 2ft. 11 in. above the floor of the pew, which is slightly raised above that of the passages. They vary considerably in breadth. Of the 63 still remaining in situ, 45, or about three-fifths, vary from 16 in. to 17in. The remainder, 18, are much narrower (one being only 6in. wide), are almost entirely confined to the corner seats or front boards, and assist to form the angles at the junction of the passages. On their outer or unattached surfaces, the whole of them are sculptured in relief with devices of various kinds,' contained in each example in a panel, surrounded by a carved border of 2in. to 24in. broad, representing some variants of stalks and leaves, with but few repetitions of the same design. Of the principal subjects included in the panelling, no two are alike, although there is a close approximation in some of the more formal designs, sufficient to suggest that the same pattern was employed in several instances, but in the execution was varied by the craftsman. These carvings afford evidence of the date when they were executed, and concurrently of that of the construction of the pews. The number of ends so decorated and in situ is 63; there are in addition five unused (three of them much decayed), and one is known to have been stolen during some church repairs a few years since. The following is a detailed description of every one. For the purposes of identification, and to show the exact position occupied by each at the present date, the rows are lettered from north to south, A-G. Of these, A-F are numbered consecutively from east to west; the first, or A row, being the northern one in the north aisle. The one marked G is in the cross alley at the west end of the nave, the numbers extending from north to south. The width of each pew-end is shown, and also the stamp marks on each carving. (The figures, within brackets, correspond with those, appended to a delineation of each mark, exhibited in plate 6.) It may be noted here, that fourteen of the 1 The only uncarved examples in Devonshire, and belonging to the same period, known to the writer were formerly at Colaton Ralegh. number have an incised ornament, similar to a with slightly expanded ends. Stalks with large leaves. Only one vertical border. A 2. 163 in. (1.) Stalks with scroll-like leaves and flower. A 3. 16 in. (1, 2, 3.) Vide plate 5. Upper two-thirds occupied by semi-figure in profile, looking to left. Head covered with a close-fitting cap, turned up a little behind, and hair projecting below it. Grotesque face. Mouth wide open, showing teeth, between which is the end of a long substance, shaped like a cucumber, and held in the left hand. Close-fitting jacket with turn-over collar. The carved portions of the arm and hand have been cut away. Locally, it is reported to be the head of a man protruding a very large tongue, but on a careful examination this opinion is shown to be incorrect. In lower third, a square architectural leaf. A 4. 17 in. (1, 3.) A griffin in a sitting posture. Mouth open, holding a scroll-like ornament, with large leafy appendage. similar to C 4. in style of ornament and execution. A 5. 16 in. (1, 3.) Stalk with large leaves. A 6. 17 in. (1.) Is Panel divided into two sub-squares, each with a formal flower with contorted petals. Border similar to that of A 2. A 7. 16 in. (1.) Panel divided like A 6. In lower is a geometric flower, Upper divided by bend dexter, the triangular spaces being filled up with floriated ornaments, (like half flowers with contorted petals. A 14. 10 in. (1.) Divided into two longitudinal squares; upper subdivided by bend sinister, and lower by bend dexter; spaces occupied by floriated ornaments (like halfflowers.) Border on one side only. 2 At the same time it may be noted that the organ is sometimes of undue length. In The Old Showman, Thos. Frost records, that in 1668 was exhibited, at the Ram's Head, in Fenchurch Street, London, a lad who "lolls out his Tongue a foot long [and] licks his Nose with his Tongue like a Cow." (Ed. of 1875, 62.) B 1. 10 in. (1, 4, 6.) In upper half, a head with very long beard, in profile, looking left, and wearing a flat cap with narrow ornamented border. (Coronet?) Loose robe over shoulder. Large compound leaf ornament in lower half. B 2. 16 in. (1, 3.) Upper two-thirds occupied by two foliated scrolls, placed symmetrically to each other; each terminating in griffin-like heads, facing, with mouths wide open, and in contact with a globe-shaped body, having a semi-lunar appendage on either side. Lower third a formal square architectural flower. B 3. 163 in. (1, 4, 7.) Two sub-squares, each divided by a cross saltire, with triangular floriated ornaments in the spaces. B 4. 16 in. (1, 4.) Panel divided into two and a half squares, containing architectural flowers, having their borders much folded. B 5. 163 in. (1, 2, 4.) Very large scroll-like leaf, folded backwards and forwards five times upon itself. B 6. 17 in. (1, 4.) Similar kind of leaf to B 5, in general design, but with variation in treatment. B 7. 12 in. (2, 4.) Long saltire-wise cross with formal floriated ornaments. B 8. 8 in. (1, 4.) A snake with open mouth, displaying large teeth.3 C 1. 12 in. (1, 3, 6.) In upper third, a shield containing arms of Ralegh family (5 fusils in bend), impaled with those of Grenville (3 rests.) Below, stalk with leaves.1 C 2. 16 in. (1, [modern imitation.], 5.) A shield with arms defaced (believed to have been those of the Ralegh family), with greyhounds as supporters. Above, a helmet in profile to left, with surrounding mantle. Stags horns for crest. On a square panel at base, the date 1537 is incised in Arabic numerals.5 3 Cf. illustration of a snake on a wood carving belonging to Lastingham Church, Yorkshire, in Proceedings Soc. of Antiq. xiv. 2nd S. 35. 4 Vide fig. 1 in plate, D. A. xv. 168. 5 Vide fig. 2. Ibid. as C 1. |