Object Type
This figure of a black griffin holding a banner, forms part of a group which, together with bull, ram and dolphin, are known as the Dacre Beasts. The griffin represents Thomas Lord Dacre's forebears, the Dacres of Gilsland. The banner bears the 19th-century arms (three rose chaplets) of the Greystoke family (The New Greystoke Arms). Chaplets (bearings representing a garland of leaves with four flowers at equal distances) signify great military prowess. The Dacre Beasts are rare survivors of a tradition of heraldic ornament. They represent one of the most powerful families in northern England and are a unique survivors of free standing, large-scale wooden heraldic sculpture from the English Renaissance.
People
Elizabeth de Greystoke (1477-1516) was Thomas Lord Dacre's wife. The Dacres were one of the most powerful families in northern England in the Middle Ages.
Places
Naworth Castle, Brampton, Cumbria, was a family seat of the Dacre family from 1317 until 1577, when the Castle became the property of Lord William Howard through marriage to Elizabeth Dacre. Dacre Beasts have stood in the Hall at Naworth Castle since the early 16th century.
Materials & Making
The Dacre Beasts were probably made by unnamed local craftsmen from a single, large oak grown on the estate.
Physical description
Carved, painted and gilded oak figure of a gryphon, bearing the 19th century arms of the Greystoke family.
[Dacre Gryphon] Gryphon is painted black. His hands and beak are gilded; his ears and claws on his paws are painted red.
[Finial] Pointed finial made of tinned copper.
[Flag] Painted and gilded metal banner, bearing the 19th century coats of arms of the Greystoke family (the New Greystoke Arms). The background is depicted in alternating pale blue and white stripes with three rose chaplets. A chaplet is a head band of leaves borne in coats of arms in token of great military prowess. It made its first appearance in the roll of Edward II.
[Pole] Wooden pole, painted black.
Place of Origin
Cumbria, England (made)
Date
1507-1525 (made)
ca. 1844 (repainted)
ca. 1844 (made)
ca. 1844 (made)
ca. 1844 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Carved, painted and gilded oak, with tinned copper banner
Marks and inscriptions
The Gryphon, the supporter of the Dacres of Gilsland bears the medieval arms of Greystoke 'gu three cushions argent'
Dimensions
Height: 342 cm with standard, Width: 57.5 cm with standard to side, Depth: 107.5 cm with standard facing front
[Dacre Gryphon] Height: 187 cm, Width: 43 cm, Depth: 66 cm
[Pole] Height: 328.2 cm
Object history note
The Dacre Beasts were commissioned by Lord Thomas Dacre (1467-1525) in about 1520 and were displayed in the rebuilt hall at Naworth Castle, Cumbria. He was a formidable soldier who fought on the side of Henry Tudor against Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth and with the Earl of Surrey against the French and the Scots at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Lord Dacre's prowess was epitomized by the battle cry "a read bull, a read bull, a Dacre, a Dacre".
In 1488 Lord Dacre eloped with Elizabeth Greystoke (1471-1516), the heiress to the baronies of Greystoke and Fitzwilliam. Through his marriage Lord Dacre acquired Morpeth Castle and the manor of Henderskelfe, later rebuilt as Castle Howard. In 1577 Lord William Howard, son of the Duke of Norfolk, married Elizabeth Dacre and the Dacre properties have descended in the Howard family. The black gryphon represents Lord Dacre's forebears, the Dacres of Gilsland. The barony of Gilsland was acquired through Ranulph de Dacre's marriage to Margaret de Multon in 1317. Ranulph de Dacre received a licence to crenellate Naworth in 1335. The beasts thus demonstrate the antiquity of the Dacres-one of the most powerful Northern families-and the importance of two dynastic marriages.
They were probably made by local craftsmen from oak grown on the estate, although the names of the carvers and painters have not been recorded. Their design is derived from contemporary grants of arms to the Dacre, de Multon and Greystoke families. Dendrochronological analysis recently demonstrated that the single trunk of oak from which all four beasts were carved was felled between 1499 and 1549. Testing of the polycrhrome decoration has revealed at least three successive paintings on the Bull, the Ram and the Dolphin. Samples from the earliest decoration contain pigments available in the first quarter of the 16th century and are likely to form part of the original decoration. The Dacre Beasts have remained in the hall at Naworth since the early 16th century.
The present decoration dates from the 1840s and was executed after the fire at Naworth of 1844. The staves and coats of arms held by the beasts also date from the mid-19th century. The present appearance of the Dacre Beasts reflects mid-19th century antiquarian interest. They were rescued from a major fire at Naworth in 1844, and restored in 1849 under the careful supervision of the Victorian architect Anthony Salvin (1799-1881) who wanted the new work to marry as closely as possible with the old. Repainting of the Dacre Beasts was done by a Mr Wilkinson.
Historical significance: The Dacre heraldic beasts are unique national survivors of free standing large-scale wooden heraldic sculpture from the English Renaissance. Although there is both written and pictorial evidence for contemporary Royal Beasts, the Dacre Beasts are apparently the only recorded surviving heraldic beasts representing a noble family. They are also of considerable regional interest as they represent one of the most powerful families in Northern England. These heraldic sculptures demonstrate the primitive nature of British art in the early 16th century before the impact of the Italian Renaissance later in the reign of Henry VIII.
Descriptive line
Dacre beast - The Black Gryphon
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Fine and Decorative Arts: Medieval & Renaissance. London: Sotheby's, 1999. pp.26-31, lot 35. Sales catalogue, 15th December 1999.
Murdoch, Tessa. The Dacre Beasts. V&A Magazine. May-August 2000, pp.14-16.
P.Williamson, 'Recent acquisitions (2000-06) of sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London', The Burlington Magazone, CXLVIII, 2006, p.890, pl. VII.
Exhibition History
Gothic: Art for England 1400-1547 (Victoria and Albert Museum 09/10/2003-18/01/2004)
Return of the Dacre Beasts (Tullie House 09/11/2000-31/03/2001)
Labels and date
NEW ACQUISITION
The National Art Collections Fund
The Dacre Beasts
The Dacre Beasts have been acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum with generous grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, the Friends of the V&A and Old Possum's Practical Trust. They will be displayed at the entrance to the new British Galleries which open in November 2001.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is still seeking sponsorship for these new galleries. Please contact Lucy Morrison in the Development Office for further details. [07/2000]
The Dacre Beasts
These beasts appear to be unique survivors of English heraldic woodwork at the time of Henry VIII, although it is not now clear why they were made. They take their name from Thomas, Lord Dacre (1467-1525) and come from the hall of his castle at Naworth, Cumbria. The Beasts escaped damage in a disastrous fire in 1844, but were repainted shortly afterwards, perhaps following the original colour schemes.
Creatures that appear on shields of arms are known as supporters. The Bull with crown collar is the supporter of Thomas Dacre; the Gryphon is the supporter of the Dacre family of Gilsland, Cumbria; the Ram is one of the supporters of the De Multon family; and the crowned Salmon is the supporter of Elizabeth Greystoke, who married Thomas Dacre in 1488.
The Dacre Beasts will be included in the new British Galleries opening in November 2001.
The Dacre Beasts
Carved, painted and gilded oak; tinned copper
English, probably 1507-25
W.6,7,8,9-2000.
Acquired with generous grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, The Friends of the Victoria and Albert Museum, two private benefactors and the National Art Collections Fund, an independent charity. [19/04/2001]
British Galleries:
The Dacre Beasts
These figures appear to be unique survivors of English heraldic woodwork made in the reign of Henry VIII (1509-1547), although it is not now clear why they were made. They take their name from Thomas, Lord Dacre (1467-1525), of Naworth Castle, Cumbria, where they remained until recently. The beasts escaped damage in a disastrous fire at Naworth in 1844, but were repainted shortly afterwards, perhaps following the original colours.
These beasts were supporters, the creatures that appear on either side of an armorial shield. Each relates to a branch of the Dacre family or to families with which they were related through marriage. The red bull was a supporter of the arms of Thomas, Lord Dacre himself. [27/03/2003]
The Dacre Beasts
About 1520
The bull, dolphin, griffin and ram represent the heraldry of members of the Dacre family. They would have stood in the great hall of one of the family castles in Cumbria to proclaim the Dacres' high status.
Oak, repainted after fire in 1844
V&A: W.6 to 9-2000. Purchased with the assistance of the National Art Collections Fund
Cat. 156 [2003]
Production Note
Probably made 1507-1525; the banners added about 1844. There is a suggestion that the beasts might have come from Kirkoswald, Cumbria.
Reason For Production: Commission
Materials
Oak; Tinned copper
Techniques
Carving; Gilding; Tinning; Polychromy
Categories
Woodwork; British Galleries; Sculpture
Production Type
Unique
Collection code
FWK
