Little Malvern Priory, in the village of Little Malvern near Malvern, Worcestershire, was a Benedictine monastery c. 1171–1537. It was founded from Worcester Cathedral.[1] Little remains of the 12th-century church, which was rebuilt in 1480–1482. The site is now occupied by a house named Little Malvern Court, which has limited public opening. The present building comprises a medieval chancel and crossing tower, and a modern west porch on the site of the east bays of the nave. The transepts and the two chapels flanking the choir are in ruins. The grade I listed Little Malvern Priory church, dedicated to St Giles, is adjacent.[2]
See Abbeys and priories in England for a complete list of English abbeys and priories. National Grid reference: SO770404.
Royal window at Malvern Priory Church
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When church was rebuilt in 1480-1482, a stained glass window depicting King Edward IV and his family was placed behind the altar-in most prominent position. It is of similiar design to York Royal window at Cantenbury Cathedral. Unfortunately, here most of the window hasn't survive. Originally the window would have likely depicted entire royal family, in 6 pannels.
Two princes on left each in separate window pannel:
- Richard of Shrewsbury, duke of York-missing
- Edward, prince of Wales(later Edward V)-still at place, believed to be one of the few surviving contemporary depictions of him
then royal couple in middle :
- King Edward IV-missing
- Queen Elizabeth Woodville-head, headwear, and part of torso missing
and all York Princesses in two pannels to the right of their parents:
- Elizabeth of York-still at place
- Mary of York-still at place
- Cecily of York -?
- Anne of York -?
- Catherine of York -?
- Bridget of York -?
Only one of two pannels is still at place and heads of two younger girls were added to the pannel of their older sisters(thus it is impossible to say which of the girls they are). But originally they would be in the second pannel, and would fit there easily because unlike in Cantenbury Cathedral, here the girls were not depicted all same size regardless of their age.
Unfortunately panel with Elizabeth of York is commonly mistaken for her mother, because on Wikipedia it is wrongly labelled as Elizabeth Woodville with her daughters instead of Elizabeth of York with her sisters. However from photographs it is obvious that figure of Queen in the middle of the window is larger than her daughters, clear indication she is the mother. Even if pannels were put back into a wrong place, the size points to the now headless figure being the Queen.
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See also
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edit- ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ "Church of St Giles, Little Malvern". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
References
edit- Pevsner, Sir Nikolaus, Worcestershire; The Buildings of England, Penguin Books, Middlesex (1977); ISBN 0140710353/ISBN 9780140710359
External links
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- Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland
- Little Malvern Court - visiting information