| Description | Coronation of the Virgin, seated under a canopy; Angels playing the Cithern as supporters.
'The Miseres or Misericordes'.
This book may probably, at some time, be viewed by persons interested in the miseres or seats in the Choir, who may not understand the monastic term of Miseres nor Misericords, the latter perhaps being the more correct name, but the former the one most generally used.
The word Miseres, only applies when the seat is turned up, similar to the photographs, there we see the ledge or narrow seat formed at the top. This is the Miseres or seat of pity. Services were so long, monks were unable, from sickness or other infimities, to stand the whole time - by turning up the seat they could rest themselves by sitting on this top part - with legs forward and to all appearances would be standing. If a monk's mind wandered, or he was inclined to sleep, and moved his feet too near the seat, it would be apt to swing down., then woe betide the person using it. Many of the laity think they are called miseres because of the carvbings generally found under the seats, but this is not so. Thesecarvings, some of which are of very fine design and workmanship, are simply ornamental, but very interesting, and in some cases give us a clue to the probable date of their execution.
The Miseres in Chester Cathedral number fortyeight ( twenty each side north and south and four each side of the entrance to the Choir). Fortythree of which are ancient ones probably the early part of the fourteenth Century. I find nine of these carvings are slightly damaged, the delicate parts of the carving broken off. I feel sure much of this has been caused through carelessness of visitors, lifting up the seats and letting them bang down. The following photographs (which is the first complete set of photographs of the Chester Miseres) are numbered 1 to 24 on each side, commencing at the Deans stall on the south west side, and the Vice Deans on the north west. The two layer photographs illustrate the returns or connection at the west end of either side. |