C. HOWARD KENYON.

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BURYING IN CHURCH WALLS.

(Vol. ii., p. 513.)

MR. W. DURRANT COOPER has mentioned some instances of burials in the walls of churches; it is not however clear whether in these the monument, or coffin lid, is in the inside or the outside of the wall.

Stone coffin lids, with and without effigies, are very frequently found placed under low arches hollowed in the wall in the interior of the church:  tombs placed in the exterior of the wall are much less common; and the singularity of their position, leads one to look for some peculiar reason for it.  Tradition often accounts for it by such stories as those mentioned by MR. COOPER.  Such is the case with a handsome canopied tomb (I think with an effigy) on the south side of the choir of the cathedral of Lichfield, where we are told that the person interred died under censure of the church.  Other instances which I have noticed, are, at—­

Little Casterton, Rutland.—­Tomb, with an effigy, apparently of an ecclesiastic, but much decayed, of the 13th century, in the south wall of the nave.

Warbleton, Sussex.—­Circular arch over a sort of altar tomb, no effigy remains.  Probably of the earlier half of the 13th century.  In the south wall of chancel.

Basildon, Berks.—­A very elegant canopy.  There was once an effigy, now destroyed, with the tomb, and a door made under the canopy!  About 1300.  In the south wall of the chancel.

Bridewater, Somerset.—­Two arches, with foliations, over effigies between them, a door leading, down to a crypt.  The effigies are too much decayed to enable a decided opinion to be formed as to sex or station.  In the north wall of north transept.  Date probably between 1270 and 1300.

St. Stephen’s, Vienna.—­A fine tomb, with canopy and effigy, by the side of the south door of the nave.  Probably of the 14th century.

I have been disposed to think that the most {38} probable motive which may have led to tombs and effigies, sometimes of an elaborate and costly character, being placed in such exposed positions, was the desire of obtaining the prayers of the passers-by for the soul of the deceased.  It is worth notice, that the usage seems in England to have been very much limited to the 13th, or early part of the 14th century.  I should, however, be very glad if any one who may possess information bearing on the subject would communicate it.

N.

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MINOR QUERIES.

Meaning of Venwell or Venville.—­Will you allow me to make the following Query as to the custom of “Ven_well_” or “Ven_ville_”?  Risdon, in his Survey of Devon, states it to be a right enjoyed by the tenants of land adjoining to Dartmoor of pasturage and cutting turf within the limits of the forest.  He calls it “Fenfield, antiently Fengfield,” but makes no allusion to the etymology of the word, or to the origin of the custom.  Some of your correspondents can most probably afford information on both these points.