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Lot Essay
The present lot is part of a series of twelve angels that once decorated the roof of St Michael's church in Aughton, Lancashire. Three more angels from the group are today housed in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow (inv. nos. 50.74-76). Each figure is depicted holding a shield emblazoned with a family crest. It is likely that the heraldry chosen refers to the important marriages and titles of the Stanley family. Based in Lancashire, the Stanleys were supporters of Henry VII who made them Earls of Derby. In his article on the church, W. A. Wickham suggests that, given the selection of crests included, the angels could not predate the marriage of George Stanley (1460-1503) to Joan le Strange, in 1482 (Wickham, op. cit. p. 157).
The angels were removed from the roof of the church during renovations in 1876 and are believed to have subsequently been in the possession of a ‘local wheelwright’ before being purchased by a Mr John Hargreaves (see Nelson, loc. cit.). In 1914, Hargreaves is recorded as having kept them ‘for several years’ until dispersing them among his friends. Today nine of the twelve angels are known to survive: five remain in St Michael's, three in the Burrell Collection and the present lot.
Stylistically comparable oak angels can be found on the eight hammer-beam ends of the roof at St Mary’s church in Cilcain, Nr. Mold, North Wales. A very similar angel from the original 15th century nave roof resides in the church of St James, Louth, Lincolnshire. The church of St Wendreda, March, Cambridgeshire contains further stylistically related examples. Several wooden angel corbels from the period are also held in the V&A Collection, originally from a Suffolk Church. See Tracy, loc. cit. for further examples of oak angels from ceilings.
The angels were removed from the roof of the church during renovations in 1876 and are believed to have subsequently been in the possession of a ‘local wheelwright’ before being purchased by a Mr John Hargreaves (see Nelson, loc. cit.). In 1914, Hargreaves is recorded as having kept them ‘for several years’ until dispersing them among his friends. Today nine of the twelve angels are known to survive: five remain in St Michael's, three in the Burrell Collection and the present lot.
Stylistically comparable oak angels can be found on the eight hammer-beam ends of the roof at St Mary’s church in Cilcain, Nr. Mold, North Wales. A very similar angel from the original 15th century nave roof resides in the church of St James, Louth, Lincolnshire. The church of St Wendreda, March, Cambridgeshire contains further stylistically related examples. Several wooden angel corbels from the period are also held in the V&A Collection, originally from a Suffolk Church. See Tracy, loc. cit. for further examples of oak angels from ceilings.