Charles Alfred Stothard, the second son of Thomas Stothard (1755-1834), was a talented antiquarian draughtsman with a strong interest in English medieval costume. This interest led to the publication of his Monumental Effigies of Great Britain, 1811. In 1815, he was commissioned to make drawings for Magia Britannia, and was then appointed historical draughtsman to the Society of Antiquaries. The Society sent him to Northern France in 1816 to record the Bayeux tapestry; a coloured drawing of part of the tapestry is contained in one of these albums. Whilst in France he made a large number of drawings of effigies, churches and cathedrals; examples from Rouen, Avranches, Vannes, Angers, Mont St. Michel, Nantes, Chartres, Rennes and the Celtic remains at Carnac are also to be found in these albums. They also contain views of Eltham, Dunster Castle, Ilfracombe, the interior of Salisbury Cathedral and the highly decorated tympana at Patrixbourne and Barfreston, Kent