Carved figures on the inside of the clerestory

On the inside of the clerestory, roof corbels carved as angels are mounted on the slender columns of stones that separate the pairs of windows. These are rather static in appearance, the angels wearing head-bands adorned with simple crosses stand on carved plinths which form the bases of the corbels. Some have blackened eye pupils. Half of them hold shields, the others hold ribbon-like banners, and these two types alternate along the rows of corbels and also across the clerestory, so that each angel holding a shield on one side faces an angel holding a banner on the opposite side. However, each corbel angel is distinctive in its facial features, head-dress, clothing and plinth. Their shields and banners would once have been adorned with lettering or heraldic symbols, but none of these remain.

The angel-corbels alternate with carvings located at the internal springers within each pair of windows. On the northern side of the clerestory there are five, which comprise three truly demonic faces, gazing over the congregation below, and two odd sculptures interpreted as sheaves of flowers of some description. The demonic figures have blackened pupils, making them appear doubly sinister. This appears to be part of their original decoration. Many of the other carved figures have hollow pupils to their eyes, and it may be that some at least of these were originally filled with lead. Lionel Wall (personal communication) describes this in his work on church carvings in southeast Leicestershire, noting that plugs of black lead were used in some instances.

On the southern side of the clerestory, in marked contrast, the alternating carvings comprise two heads of what may be wise men or prophets (or kings), and three carvings of angels, two carrying shields and the other carrying a ribbon-like banner. This appears to be the ‘good’ side, in contrast with the demonic figures opposite (“the Devil’s Shadow”). The wise faces may represent specific figures, but just who they might be is uncertain.