Fragment of a bench-end with a mantichore

Fragment of a bench-end. Integral to the structure of the bench-end is a carved mantichore forming the elbow rest, with the bearded head (with missing section at back) of a man wearing a hood with scalloped lower edge, the haunches of a lion, and elongated lion paws extending down the front of the bench-end.

Given by the Architectural Association and the Royal Architectural Museum

One of a group of pieces, mostly fragmentary from the chancel and nave of St. Nicholas Chapel, King's Lynn.

Given by the Architectural Association and the Royal Architectural Museum, 18 Tufton Street. See RF 1915/4020
'To be labelled "From the Royal Architectural Museum, Westminster. Presented by the Architectural Museum"

The Chapel of St. Nicholas, King's Lynn was founded by William Turbe, Bishop of Norwich, 1146-74, for the use of the inhabitants of the New Lande he had laid out for building north of the Purfleet. His chapel was pulled down and on its site was built a small chapel, the west end of which, probably dating from 1200-1210 remains. The present building was constructed in the early years of the fifteenth century and completed about 1419. Woodwork from St Nicholas, evidently part of the original fitted wooden furnishings, were sold by the churchwardens in 1852 and bought by the Royal Architectural Museum.

The wooden furniture and fittings of medieval English churches were frequently decorated with carvings of sacred and secular subjects taken from religious and folkloric traditions. The mantichore was a fabulous beast of ancient legend having a lion's body, human head and the tail of a dragon or scorpion.

W.8-1916