Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Bath Abbey is a former Benedictine monastery, founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries.

The westfront, with all the sculptures, was build under bishop Oliver King (c. 1432-1503). The bishop organised the restoration of the church after 1500. The story of the refounding is told on the west front. King had a dream in which he saw a host of angels on a ladder, the Holy Trinity and an olive tree with a crown on it. He heard a voice: 'Let an Olive establish the crown, and let a King restore the Church.' King believed this was a call for him to support the candidature of Henry VII as king, and to restore the Abbey. These images are carved on the West Front of the Abbey with coats of arms of the Montague Family (who paid for the carved wooden doors) and Henry VII's coat of arms.
The west front was restored from 1899 to 1901, and dedicated 6 June 1901 by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Sir George Frampton made the new statues of King Henry VII and the seated Christ, which both had disappeared. Frampton was payed £600 for his work: statue of King Henry VII, £200; one Apostle, £100; eight angels on the ladders, £270; head to the central figure in niche, £30 (he could also renew the whole figure, that cost £90).
The description below is based on Briton (1825).

Top façade

Seated Christ, sculpted by Sir George Frampton. The relief on top of the façade shows the Angelic Choir, in attitudes of adoration, glorifying the Trinity.

Dove

Porch

Saint Peter (possibly died AD 67), apostle, first pope; patron saint of locksmiths and confessors. Usually holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven in his hand (Wikipedia) The inscription is unreadable, but in 1746 described as: "Under ye of St. Peter, with his keys in his hand, on ye north side, is this: Claviger Æthereus factus de Simone Petrus." (quoted by Briton

King Henry VII (1491 - 1547) king of England 1509-1547. (Wikipedia). sculpted by Sir George Frampton, c. 1902

Saint Paul the Apostle, (c. 5 - c. 67 ), persecuted the early followers of Jesus before switching sides and seeking to join them. He was instrumental in creating the Christian Church. He is the protector of tent-makers, theologians and the ecclesiastical press and is depicted with a sword. (Wikipedia). In 1746: "Under the other of St. Paul, holding a sword, is this line: Ecce furor Sauli factus est Conversio Pauli.&quop;

Front windows of the side aisles

(left) Figure in flowing drapery, appearing to hold and open deed with seals appendant.
(right) Figure seeming to hold a pouch.

North and south corner turrets

upper statue left face left tower St. Philip. sculpted by Laurence Tindall, 1993	upper statue right face left tower	upper statue left face right tower	lower statue right face right tower
middle statue left face left tower	middle statue right face left tower	middle statue left face right tower	lower statue right face right tower
lower statue left face left tower	lower statue right face left tower	lower statue left face right tower	lower statue right face right tower

The Ladders

top figure left, with book and cloverleaf.

top figure right, with book and cross.

Climbing Angels
The lowest angels on both towers are damaged and not photographed by us.

1st angel left	2nd angel left	3rd angel left	4th angel left	5th angel left
1st angel right	2rd angel right	3rd angel right	4th angel right	5th angel right

Sculptors

• Unknown 16th century sculptor.
  
• Sir George James Frampton, RA (London 1860-1928), British sculptor (Wikipedia).
  
• Laurence Tindall, English sculptor (Website).

Sources & Information

• Historic England, Database.
• Wikipedia, Bath Abbey.
• Bath Abbey, Today's Abbey (1499 onwards).
• John Britton, The History and Antiquities of Bath Abbey Church. (London 1825) (through Google Books).
• Cynthia Imogen Hammond, Architects, Angels, Activists and the City of Bath, 1765-1965: Engaging with Women's Spatial Interventions in Buildings and Landscape (2017).
• Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, Thursdays 28 March 1901 and 6 June 1901 (British Newspaper Archive).
• Laurence Tindall, St. Philip Bath Abbey.

Tags

Locatie (N 51°22'52" - W 2°21'33") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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