MEMBERS of Thorverton History Society enjoyed a talk about Devon ancient bench ends by Dr Todd Gray at their November meeting.

Todd started the evening by telling us of his association with Thorverton. The late Professor Joyce Youings lived in the village and was chair of our society for many years and she supervised his PhD.

He has also worked on projects with another Thorverton lad, Professor Mark Stoyle.

Todd has recently completed a project on medieval carvings on Westcountry bench ends for the Pilgrims Trust. This is an English Heritage publication and is regarded as the definitive guide, running to 250,000 words and covers six counties in the South West.

In undertaking his research he compared the styles of bench ends in South West churches with those in the Midlands and others in Suffolk and Norfolk.

Finials in the South West are rare but far more common in other parts of the country – and in the Midlands they may be constructed using up to seven pieces of wood. Carvings in the South East can be very elaborate but their design is open to interpretation.

Seats in churches were prescribed and disputes could and did arise if another sat in your seat.

From 1200 to 1450 furniture in churches was very moveable with forms and stools being used. In the period 1450 to 1600 the furniture changed to fixed benches with backrests.

By the period 1600 to 1820 high seats and box pews were in use, the latter were also known as sleeping boxes as the sides were too high for anyone to observe the occupiers.

Box pews were done away with by the Victorians as they wanted uniformity so benches and chairs became the norm from 1820 and by 1970 upholstered seats were introduced.

Bench ends then became something of a mix of medieval and Victorian work within the same panel.

Segregation was the norm for the seating and women were often sat apart from the men – frequently on the colder north side of the church.

Seating at the front was for those of the higher social order as they paid most of the parish rate. One document showed that “vulgar people” would be sat at the back of the church.

The bench end designs in Devon can be described as Renaissance or Gothic. There is no evidence of foreign craftsmen doing the work although some work in Cornwall was done by Bretons.

In North Devon there is much evidence of Renaissance designs with carved borders and frequently a shield within the tracery.

Panels from the late 1500’s in Bideford are variants on a single design. In Budleigh church there is a design of a “leaf head” but far more of these appear in North Devon and are variants of the “Green Man”.

Sandford’s St Swithun’s Church has interesting carvings which are described as Aztec but these were typical Renaissance designs from the 1580’s.

Carvings often show couples about to kiss. These are often uncomplimentary and thought to be of local people. Figures of dolphins, mermaids or sea creatures are common as are initials or marks of those who could not sign their names.

Repeat designs of flowers, fruit or faces are used but all slightly different. Animals frequently appear in the carvings.

There are monsters, fallen angels and hideous heads along with one carving of a monkey holding a phial containing urine – this was to ridicule the medical profession who thought illness could be recognised in urine.

Dragons, horse riders and angels with bat wings appear and these are original designs that pre-date pattern books that appeared in the 1500’s.

In North Devon there are many carvings showing the crucifixion, Roman soldiers with their spears or swords and Judas with his bag of coins. Devon has much village art showing men with forks or other working tools.

Thorverton has Gothic tracery, plain borders, shields and heraldry along with agricultural instruments.

The timber used was oak and although there is no evidence they were painted, it is very possible they were.

The problem for many Devon bench ends now is damp which is ageing the panels so go and look at your church bench ends now, while you still have the chance.

Robert Turner