81. RICHARD BEAUCHAMP IN PRAYER  WH

The purbeck marble tomb chest bears a splendid effigy of the deceased in armour in an attitude of prayer, gazing towards the image of Mary in the ceiling above the altar.  I wonder if in fact he was a great man of prayer? He certainly had a strong commitment to this Church!   INDEX

82. TOMB END VIEWS  AMT

A bear and a gryphon sit at his feet. The end views suggest that Richard is contained in some sort of time capsule – and perhaps this is true!

83. SIDE VIEWS  WH AMT

The effigy is one of the few surviving English medieval effigies executed in gilt bronze (most of the rest are in Westminster Abbey). This material is also used to great effect in the superb series of mourners and angels that decorate the tomb chest below. To get a better idea of the figures standing around the base of the tomb, tap / click here.

84. CHAPEL NORTH WINDOW  AMT

The side windows of the Beauchamp Chapel are mostly clear glass, but there is some fine 15th century stained glass in the North windows. Only the tracery sections of these windows are preserved, but the groups of angelic musicians that populate the individual tracery lights are wonderful scenes. Many play contemporary musical instruments whilst some even carry examples of medieval sheet music.

85. CHAPEL EAST WINDOW  AMT

The delightful East window, which is filled with superb 15th century glass by John Prudde, the King's glazier. Much if it is not in situ, since Cromwell's troops wrought havoc with the glass here and the surviving figures were assembled in this window (only the outer pairs of figures in the upper row are in their original positions). The North and south panels retain original glass only in their traceries and the cusped heads of the main lights, and knowing the quality of the surviving elements makes this loss all the more grievous.

86. WINDOW DETAILS  AMT

Shown here are six figures from the centre of the East window. Interpretation is rather difficult as the window is mostly composed of fragments from elsewhere. A guess at the identities, clockwise from top left might be: St Elizabeth, Isaiah, the Virgin Mary, St Mary (again), Richard Beauchamp, and Christ. It appears that the head of Richard Beauchamp has since been replaced with that of one of his daughters!

87. WINDOW FIGURES  AMT

These figures from the top left pane; of the window show Saint Thomas Becket and St Alban. They are both in remarkably good condition. The skill used to produce these fine images is astonishing, including many small ‘jewels’ leaded into the garments. These beautifully drawn regal figures are clearly of the highest quality then achievable.

88. SAINTS AND THE ALMIGHTY  AMT

A further treasure of this chapel and a miraculous survivor of Cromwell’s fanatics is the statuary surrounding the East window. This unique display of almost perfectly preserved figure sculpture from the early 15th century is exquisite – in contrast to all those empty niches we see in so many medieval churches elsewhere in England.

89. SURROUNDING ANGELS  AMT

The medieval splendour of the East window is further echoed by the use of colour on the sculptures, all redone in the mid 20th century but based on medieval precedents. You can see more of the angels here.

90. CHAPEL ALTAR  WH AMT

We conclude our visit to St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Warwick at the altar of the Beauchamp Chapel. This is the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel speaks to Mary, foretelling the birth of her son Jesus.