I bought this etching at a junk shop in North Wales a few years ago because I love the Edwardian and the Gothic. I wondered if the good people of Twitter or Blogland could help me in locating the real chantry that it depicts.
Bottom left on the frame, the signature seems to be C G Coperman, 1911. The place St Michaels on Wyre? Or am in not reading it correctly?
Google tells me there is a church with this name in Lancashire, England, but the description of its interior does not mention a chantry dedicated to St Catherine. I cannot find any pictures of this church's interior either that confirm this is indeed the chilly corner where Mr or Ms Coperman sat in 1911!
Bottom right of the frame it says St Catherine's Chantry. Google offered me very little on this when searched alongside St Michael on Wyre. There is nothing else in the picture or on the frame to give me a clue.
Can anyone help solve the mystery? Do you know anyone who lives in St Michaels on Wyre who might know?
I would love to see a photograph of the chantry now.
Thanks for reading, and if you can help, have a big kiss x.
Get in touch through the comments on this blog, or by Twitter where I am @angpang.
Hi Angela.
ReplyDeleteI have ascertained from a report dated 1871 that St-Michael's-in-Wyre was (and is) 'A late Perpendicular church of rather coarse architecture, comprising nave, with aisles and chancel, with south aisle only carried to the east end, a west tower, and south porch. The north aisle, after the first two bays to the west, is expanded, but without arcade, into a chapel, but only extends four bays in all, and is not carried along the chancel. The north chapel is dedicated to S. Catherine, and belongs to the Butlers.'
I have also discovered that one John Boteler (Butler), who was born at Rawcliffe on 16 Aug. 1489, and baptized at St. Michael's, 'had begun a chantry and service in St. Michael's Church.' This was probably on his death in 1534. It is likely that he would have left money in his will for a chantry priest to say masses for his soul.
There now. I have too much time on my hands!
Wow, Chris has come up with some great research there.
ReplyDeleteI have also tried to google for you but found nothing that you didn't already have. The only other suggestion is to contact the church (or the cathedral at Blackburn) and see if they have any reference to it.
Thank you both, Chris has indeed been a huge help.
ReplyDeleteI also have some other very interesting leads through Twitter, and hope to pull everything together for a follow-up post very soon.
So amazed that within 24 hours I know where it is, and more...