Misericord; two figures carting corn, flanked by two hybrid monsters; late fourteenth century; probably from East Anglia

Made of a solid, rectangular (landscape) piece of oak. The top two corners are cut away to form a concave curve at each corner. The lower two corners are also cut away but they have a square cut out of each, creating a right angle - these do not appear to be original as they cut into the design of the supporters and are not found on two other misericords believed to be from the same set. A hinge occurs at either end of the lower edge of the seat.

The misericord itself is bordered with a six-sided double moulding with a tapering and facetted support to the bracket below. Obscuring most of this bracket is a scene showing the carting of corn. The one visible wheel of the cart occurs at the bottom centre of the bracket where, if not obscured, it would taper into a point. Above the wheel is a man on the cart loading it up with sheaves of corn. His right leg is stretched out behind him and his left leg is bent and kneeling on the sheaves of corn which have already been loaded. He leans forward to place another sheaf near the front of the cart. The horse harnessed to the cart is to the right and looks back toward the man piling on the bundles of corn. To the left of the man is another figure (?woman/young man) who holds up a pole with a sheaf of corn speared on the end (presumably the next sheaf for the man loading the cart).

At either side of the misericord is a supporter, which extends out from the ledge as a curved branch ending in a creature with booted human feet, a body (without arms) covered in a surplice-type garment and the head of a bird. In each case the bird-head has its beak open and bends over to the ground. The one on the left faces to the right and the one on the right faces to the left so their heads are on the inside next to the carting scene.

This misericord is one of ten (W.6 to 12 and 52 to 54-1921) which were purchased from the Royal Architectural Museum, Westminster in 1921. It was originally assumed that all ten were from St Nicholas Chapel, Kings Lynn until G.L. Remnant – in A Catalogue of Misericords in Great Britain, Oxford, 1969 – pointed out the differences in design in the seats.

It is now thought the misericords divide into two groups: one of six (W.6,9 to 12 and 54-1921), which are still believed to be from St Nicholas and one of four (W.7,8,52 and 53-1921) which, while possibly still from East Anglia, are not now thought to be from St Nicholas. This misericord is one of the four not thought to come from St Nicholas.

Lent to the touring exhibition organised by National Touring Exhibitions, Hayward Gallery: Carnivalesque
1. Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, 06/05/2000-02/07/2000
2. Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery, 15/07/2000-10/09/2000
3. The City Arts Centre, Edinburgh, 21/10/2000-16/12/2000
Catalogue: Timothy Hyman & Roger Malbert, Carnivalesque, NTE/SBC 2000, cat no. 30, p 27

Historical significance: This misericord depicts two figures carting away sheaves of harvested corn. The inclusion of this scene on the misericord highlights the way in which the subjects depicted were often concerned with everyday life rather than overtly religious topics. It also suggests connections with the calendar cycles found at the beginning of many medieval manuscripts.

These cycles often included illustrations of ‘the labours of the months’: physical tasks undertaken by labourers at different times of the year, more often than not contributing to, or resulting in, the production of food or drink. The most popular topics were to do with corn, hay, grapes and livestock.

While the exact ‘labour’ applied to each month often varied from manuscript to manuscript the overall pattern was similar and harvesting the corn was a key event usually chosen to represent July or August. Carting away the corn took place after harvesting/reaping, but probably in the same month so it is unlikely that both scenes would be included in a manuscript calendar cycle.

While some medieval manuscripts such as the Luttrell Psalter (British Library, London, Add. MS 42130 C.1320-40, Lincolnshire) include scenes from medieval life outwith a calendar cycle, in general they were restricted to this setting and as such only twelve ‘labours’ could be represented. There were several activities to choose from for each month and stooking may have lost out to alternatives such as moving the grain/storing the grain/treading grapes (a common image even in calendar cycles produced in Britain) or other wine-making related labours.

This misericord is one of three related to the harvesting of corn which are thought to come from the same set. Since none of them depicts the moment of harvest/reaping itself, it is tempting to suggest this may have occupied another misericord, now lost (the subject is certainly known to exist in other sets of misericords, for example at Worcester Cathedral). However, no sets of twelve, let alone extended cycles, of ‘labours of the months’ survives in any group of misericords known today. It is therefore most likely that such scenes were simply part of the rich and varied subject matter tackled by misericords rather than conscious, comprehensive calendar cycles.

It is possible that the carting scene was based on an already existing image in a manuscript but the extent to which those carving the misericords had access to such material is not known. Perhaps whoever was overseeing the work would have had access to these sorts of resources or perhaps the carvers simply based the images on real-life experience – carting away the corn after harvest would have taken place every year in society at large. At the very least the inclusion of such a scene on the misericord shows a common interest in such subjects amongst contemporary artists/craftsmen and or audiences.

Similarly, the nature of the supporters would appear to reflect contemporary interests. However, scholars seem to be divided as to exactly how they do this. In English Medieval Furniture and Woodwork Charles Tracy describes the supporters on either side of this group of misericords in connection with a repertory of fantastic creatures mentioned by Pliny in Natural History and later in books such as Mandeville’s Travels written in French in about 1357. As such they would feed into the contemporary interest in hybrid anthropomorphic and animal marginalia, often referred to as ‘grotesques. However, Michael Camille offers a different interpretation.

In Mirror in Parchment: The Luttrell Psalter and the Making of Medieval England Camille draws parallels between the creatures on this misericord and some of those in the Luttrell Psalter to suggest a tradition of artistic reference to contemporary performance and pageantry. He cites several instances where there are records to show that communities engaged in entertainments, often in celebration of, or as part of, ‘labour-related’ activities such as the harvest. This involved making masks and dressing up, a constant factor being the performer wearing a cloak of some description, be it a piece of sacking or sheet. This interpretation would explain why the bird-headed creatures flanking the misericord wear a surplice/cloak-like garment.

This is not to say that the creatures either side of the misericord are necessarily illustrating specific pageant costumes, although this could be the case. Rather, they are perhaps examples of a contemporary tradition to refer to such activities in relation to, and draw connections with, harvesting. Such a reading would also explain the significance of the supporters to the subject of the misericord they flank.

Although the subject of supporters does not always seem to be connected to that of the misericord, it often was. Without the ‘pageantry’ explanation the supporters on this misericord would appear to have no overt connection with the carting scene depicted on the central corbel. Further links between the supporters and misericord of this particular choir seat are perhaps found in the way in which the bird-like heads are bent over to the ground with their beaks open, possibly to suggest their pecking at stray grains of corn that may have escaped in transit.

Note: There are numerous examples of clothed, hybrid ‘grotesques’ in the Luttrell Psalter which are not on pages with any illustrations of ‘labours’, suggesting that if there were a connection between dressing up and pageantry etc… and such labour activities, it appears to have been extended, though to what ends would require further research. It should also be noted that the fourth misericord grouped with the three ‘harvesting’ ones (W.52-1921) also has clothed animal creatures as the supporters but seemingly no related subject on the misericord they flank.

Misericord is the name given to the ledge supported by a corbel which is revealed when the hinged seats in medieval choir stalls are tipped up. The word comes from the Latin misericordia which means pity and alludes to the original function of the ledge.

The rule of St Benedict, introduced in the sixth century AD, required the monks to sing the eight daily offices of the Church (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers and Compline) standing up. They were only permitted to sit during the Epistle and Gradual at Mass and the Response at Vespers. Such long hours spent standing was particularly arduous for the older and weaker monks and they soon adopted a leaning staff or crutch to help take the weight off their feet.

By the eleventh century the rules were slightly relaxed and misericords were introduced – the monks were able to perch on the ledge and lean back slightly, taking much of the weight off their feet whilst still giving the appearance of standing up straight. They were in use wherever the monks were required to sing the daily offices, including cathedrals, abbeys and collegiate churches. They sometimes even appeared in Parish churches.

The earliest mention of misericords appears in the eleventh century in the rules of the monastery of Hirsau in Germany. It is not known when they were introduced in Britain but the earliest surviving examples are found at Hemingbrough in North Yorkshire and Christchurch in Dorset. Both date from the early thirteenth century. The earliest complete set of misericords is in Exeter Cathedral and dates from 1240 to 1270.

The choir seat, the ledge and the corbel supporting it were made of a single piece of wood, usually oak. The corbel provided an ideal platform for medieval craftsmen to carve all manner of narrative scenes and decoration. British misericords differ from those elsewhere in Europe by having subsidiary carvings on either side of the central corbel. These are known as supporters and are often used to develop the theme introduced in the carving of the corbel.

Over half of the misericords in Britain are decorated with foliage but of those which do have narrative decoration, both in Britain and on the Continent, very few depict religious subjects. More common themes included scenes of everyday life and moral tales, often being depicted in a humerous way.

Whether, as has been suggested, the lack of religious scenes was because the hidden location of the misericords meant craftsmen were more free to be creative with their carving, or whether the monks would have thought it inappropriate to sit on images of Christ, Saints or biblical scenes is not known. However, their lack of overt religious content together with their concealed physical position probably contributed to a large number of them surviving the Reformation and still existing today.

Information taken mainly from:
Church Misericords and Bench Ends, Richard Hayman, Shire Publications, Buckinghamshire, 1989 (no copy in the NAL)
The World Upside-Down – English Misericords, Christa Grössinger, Lonodn, 1997
(NAL = 273.H.95)

Misericords were set on the underside of the hinged seats in the choirs of churches. They had no religious function but gave some support to the monks and clergy in the long parts of the services when standing was required. This explains the name 'misericord', which comes from the Latin for mercy. The decoration was often amusing and sometimes moral.

This scene shows two figures stacking corn on a cart. It may have been copied from a calendar illustration. On either side is a monster with the head of a goose and human legs.

This misericord was probably carved in East Anglia, but we do not know which church it came from.

W.53-1921