More From Tideswell

[poliphilo]

We can't be sure who these ladies are but apparently they're older than the church that houses them. Aren't they elegant? One is dated c.1300 and the other c.1375. They've been placed rather awkwardly in the sanctuary of the Lady Chapel in a position where only the priest at the altar can see them properly. I had to climb over the altar rail to take these pictures. An act of trespass. But I am still a priest- yes I am: I may be listed in the archbishop's little black book, but they never defrocked me.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm no expert on medieval costume, but I think that dress is just too fancy to be a nun's habit. Also she's showing her hair at the temples.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Also she's showing her hair at the temples.

Yes, I saw that. I´m no expert either. I just enjoy speculating about things like this.

There is a medieval costume museum in Burgos here in Spain. It´s in a monastery where many of the very early kings, queens and nobility are buried. Napoleon´s troops sacked the place and removed all the jewelry from the tombs. The clothing had been remarkably preserved because of the intense cold and dryness that is Burgos' climate. So quite recently, as recent goes, the tombs were re-opened, the bones sorted out and the clothing was removed and is now displayed in controlled conditions in a room in the monastery. It´s been an invaluable resource for anyone who studies medieval dress.

It´s quite amazing because of teh state of preservation.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That sounds amazing. I'll have to Google it.

There's a scene in Bunuel's The Phantom of Liberty where a Napoleonic officer opens the tomb of a Spanish princess and falls in love with her perfectly preserved corpse. I should have realised (knowing Bunuel) it had a basis in historical fact. It comes just after the scene where the Spanish patriots go to their deaths- as some of them really did- shouting "long live chains".