Sir Not Appearing in This Film
In the care of Scarborough Museum Trust is an effigy of an Knight of unknown identity. An effigy is a stone sculpture found on top of a tomb or grave representing the individual interred inside. The effigy found at Scarborough is thought to be as old as 14th Century and described in the 1820’s by antiquarian Robert Knox, “the cross legged effigy was probably chiselled out of a block of sandstone, to perpetuate the memory of one of those Christian worthies (a Christian Knight involved in the crusades) who it would seem, was a great man in his time; though the place where his bones lie scattered, possibly thrown out of the stone coffin standing next the west door of the old church, is now unknown and his name is lost in oblivion”. The old church Knox refers to could either have been The Church of St Thomas the Martyr that was on North Street or The Church of the Holy Sepulchre that was on Sepulchre Street, both noble buildings have longly perished, scattered by gradual decline and maltreatment.
The effigy is mention by Brian and Moira Gittos in their excellent book, Interpreting Medieval Effigies. They quote the archaeologist L’Anson writing in 1927, “(the effigy) found when excavating a ditch in close proximity to the church of St Thomas, North Street, and removed it to its present position outside the Rotunda Museum in 1861”, however they mention that in 1826 the effigy was in the lower rooms of the Old Town Hall on Bethel Place on Sandside the site which is now a cafe.
Writing in 1820, Knox continues, “...his residence may have been on Palace Hill. That effigy, indeed, stood a long neglected, as not worth caring for, in the corner of the cellar of the Old Town Hall. A similar effigy is said to be in Pickering church. Such may be seen in Temple Church, London, Westminster Abbey and elsewhere.”
As Knox states there are many such effigies that can be found in churches around Yorkshire. Many are made in the same pose as the one in Scarborough; leg crosses, feet wresting on a lion or hound, hands in prayer with a shield on one arm. They are thought to have perhaps been made from one reputable Medieval Masons Yard somewhere in Yorkshire and possibly a high status symbol of those who could afford to purchase an effigy for their coffin and wanting to be associated with the virtue of the Knights Templar. There are effigies similar to the one at Scarborough at Pickering, Kirkby Fleetham near Northallerton and Welton and Routh near Beverly. In their book The Knights Templar in Yorkshire, Diane Holloway and Trish Colton state that, “vows of poverty precluded Knights Templar from having effigies on their graves”, it is likely that after the crusades the Knights Templar became the new rock and roll, so to speak and their style and image became highly fashionable, to copy in after-death stone wear.
The nobel Knights Templar’s original role was to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, but as they became part of the mission to keep the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, in Christian hands they started hobnobbing with Kings, nobles and Churchmen to fund this. The latter responded by given the templars estates and quickly they became significant land owners in England and France.
Knox writes, “It was the same kind of veneration, urged on to frenzy, for that ancient city, Jerusalem and the holy sepulchre that leagued in madness many nations, disgracing Christianity, to tinge the waters and saturate the soil of Palestine with human gore”.
Their full title of ‘The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem’ the Templars became known simply as Knights Templar, derived from the fact that their quarters were situated within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. These warrior monks had knowledge of sacred geometry, and became expert builders, astute bankers, diplomats, war commanders, administrators and agricultural specialists. They took a vow of chastity and poverty, following the rule of St Augustine abiding by the order of prayer beginning at 4am and ending at 6pm, habits described by Hinderwell of the monks at The Church of St Thomas the Martyr on North St. near TKmaxx.
The Knights Effigy at Scarborough is crossing his legs, I found this very strange and intriguing, as is the figure of the lion at the base of the knights crossed feet; both symbols proving very difficult to research a meaning. The curious crossing of the legs on the effigy perhaps symbolise an oath or vow taken or even a battle the individual Knight took part in? One source I found explained that an effigy with crossed legs indicated that the Knight had been captured and castrated by the Saracen, though I’m not sure why anyone would want to advertise this on their grave. Another source states that the crossed leg was just a fashion statement of the times and has no meaning other than the showy style of a medieval dandy.
Lions however, symbolise strength and majesty, and related to Christ in medieval scripture. Lions also symbolise evil and could account for the lion perhaps as defeated evil at the feet of the knight? Excellent examples of lion carvings can be seen inside Dean Rd Chapel. Thought to represent St Mark, who’s symbol was also a lion, the carvings of lion heads with various grimace and wan smiles are up in the roof inside the chapel and well worth a visit on its open days.
DavWhiteArt.com
In the care of Scarborough Museum Trust is an effigy of an Knight of unknown identity. An effigy is a stone sculpture found on top of a tomb or grave representing the individual interred inside. The effigy found at Scarborough is thought to be as old as 14th Century and described in the 1820’s by antiquarian Robert Knox, “the cross legged effigy was probably chiselled out of a block of sandstone, to perpetuate the memory of one of those Christian worthies (a Christian Knight involved in the crusades) who it would seem, was a great man in his time; though the place where his bones lie scattered, possibly thrown out of the stone coffin standing next the west door of the old church, is now unknown and his name is lost in oblivion”. The old church Knox refers to could either have been The Church of St Thomas the Martyr that was on North Street or The Church of the Holy Sepulchre that was on Sepulchre Street, both noble buildings have longly perished, scattered by gradual decline and maltreatment.
The effigy is mention by Brian and Moira Gittos in their excellent book, Interpreting Medieval Effigies. They quote the archaeologist L’Anson writing in 1927, “(the effigy) found when excavating a ditch in close proximity to the church of St Thomas, North Street, and removed it to its present position outside the Rotunda Museum in 1861”, however they mention that in 1826 the effigy was in the lower rooms of the Old Town Hall on Bethel Place on Sandside the site which is now a cafe.
Writing in 1820, Knox continues, “...his residence may have been on Palace Hill. That effigy, indeed, stood a long neglected, as not worth caring for, in the corner of the cellar of the Old Town Hall. A similar effigy is said to be in Pickering church. Such may be seen in Temple Church, London, Westminster Abbey and elsewhere.”
As Knox states there are many such effigies that can be found in churches around Yorkshire. Many are made in the same pose as the one in Scarborough; leg crosses, feet wresting on a lion or hound, hands in prayer with a shield on one arm. They are thought to have perhaps been made from one reputable Medieval Masons Yard somewhere in Yorkshire and possibly a high status symbol of those who could afford to purchase an effigy for their coffin and wanting to be associated with the virtue of the Knights Templar. There are effigies similar to the one at Scarborough at Pickering, Kirkby Fleetham near Northallerton and Welton and Routh near Beverly. In their book The Knights Templar in Yorkshire, Diane Holloway and Trish Colton state that, “vows of poverty precluded Knights Templar from having effigies on their graves”, it is likely that after the crusades the Knights Templar became the new rock and roll, so to speak and their style and image became highly fashionable, to copy in after-death stone wear.
The nobel Knights Templar’s original role was to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, but as they became part of the mission to keep the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, in Christian hands they started hobnobbing with Kings, nobles and Churchmen to fund this. The latter responded by given the templars estates and quickly they became significant land owners in England and France.
Knox writes, “It was the same kind of veneration, urged on to frenzy, for that ancient city, Jerusalem and the holy sepulchre that leagued in madness many nations, disgracing Christianity, to tinge the waters and saturate the soil of Palestine with human gore”.
Their full title of ‘The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem’ the Templars became known simply as Knights Templar, derived from the fact that their quarters were situated within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. These warrior monks had knowledge of sacred geometry, and became expert builders, astute bankers, diplomats, war commanders, administrators and agricultural specialists. They took a vow of chastity and poverty, following the rule of St Augustine abiding by the order of prayer beginning at 4am and ending at 6pm, habits described by Hinderwell of the monks at The Church of St Thomas the Martyr on North St. near TKmaxx.
The Knights Effigy at Scarborough is crossing his legs, I found this very strange and intriguing, as is the figure of the lion at the base of the knights crossed feet; both symbols proving very difficult to research a meaning. The curious crossing of the legs on the effigy perhaps symbolise an oath or vow taken or even a battle the individual Knight took part in? One source I found explained that an effigy with crossed legs indicated that the Knight had been captured and castrated by the Saracen, though I’m not sure why anyone would want to advertise this on their grave. Another source states that the crossed leg was just a fashion statement of the times and has no meaning other than the showy style of a medieval dandy.
Lions however, symbolise strength and majesty, and related to Christ in medieval scripture. Lions also symbolise evil and could account for the lion perhaps as defeated evil at the feet of the knight? Excellent examples of lion carvings can be seen inside Dean Rd Chapel. Thought to represent St Mark, who’s symbol was also a lion, the carvings of lion heads with various grimace and wan smiles are up in the roof inside the chapel and well worth a visit on its open days.
DavWhiteArt.com
