More Marvellous Misericords and Carvings - Nantwich

Plus a single fabulous carving from Screveton

Another collection of misericords in my occasional series, this week’s set are from Nantwich in Cheshire and date to about 1390. I was unable to view them all, sadly.

The church is quite small, and the choir seats are likewise not numerous. But, as they say, while small, it is perfectly formed.

Here we have all the exuberance of the Gothic just on the transition to Perpendicular forms. It is a glorious Choir. Notice the pierced stone at the base; this is designed to reverberate and amplify the sound; the wooden floor is built above a pit lined with stone. Here is the one at Whalley Abbey, which has been excavated and restored.

It’s a similar size to Nantwich. In the days before electric amplification, these natural techniques helped people in the churches to hear what was going on.