It has been conjectured that the effigies on this tomb represent John Shipward, mayor of Bristol in 1455, and Catharine his wife. He died in 1473, and was buried in the church. The east window formerly contained painted glass, and under two figures was the following inscription: "Orate pro animabus Johannis Shipward et Catharinæ Uxoris ejus, qui Johannes istam fenestram fecit, et fuit specialis benefactor hujus ecclesiæ." It has however been urged, that the very existence of the above described inscription and the effigies renders it improbable that there was any other monument to Shipward; none is named by Barrett, or Camden, the former of whom gives moreover a list of monuments.
St. Stephen's Bristol.
On the 1st of June in the same year, the single effigy here figured was discovered in the south wall of the church, from whence it has been removed and refixed on the north side, and westward of the above described monument. It has an inscription on the north side of the slab, but this being next to the wall is unfortunately invisible.
The Rev. W. H. Gunner, of Winchester, Local Secretary, communicated an impression of a sepulchral brass, of the fifteenth century, in the church of Wyke, Hants, representing the figure of St. Christopher, a subject which is not of usual occurrence on sepulchral memorials, (See woodcut in next page.)
Dr. Bromet exhibited a rubbing from a credence-table on the south side of the chancel of Brabourne church, Kent. It is of black marble, and is sculptured with a cross inscribed in a circle, flanked with, apparently, the matrices of inscriptions on brass.
Dr. Bromet submitted also a rubbing from a brass in Godalming church to the memory of John Barker, Esq., who died in 1595. It is remarkable as shewing the form of sword-hilt and the cutlace or dagger of that period.
Mr. Gunner called the attention of the Committee to an interesting crypt, which he presumed to be of late Norman work, in the cellars of the Angel Inn. in the High-street, Guildford. Mr. Gunner stated that he was not aware that any notice of this relic of antiquity had been published, except in a local work.
This crypt is 35 ft. in length by 19 ft. in breadth. It is divided down the centre by two piers supporting the groining of the roof, which consists of cross-ribs and springers, without bosses at the points of intersection. The soffits of the arches are quite flat, with the edges plainly chamfered. The piers are without imposts or capitals: the ends of the vaulting ribs dying off in them, but resting on corbel-heads in the walls.
