WYCLIFFE. The stones figured are (1905) in the rectory coachhouse, having been taken out of the fabric of the church at restoration.

The bear's head (a) is apparently the end of a hogback differing from the Brompton type. It measures 15 inches high, and 9 inches square in greatest section. It is solidly carved, the surfaces flat, with deep incisions to mark detail. The other side is somewhat defaced, but has a bit of step pattern. (B.)

The shaft-fragment (b, c, d) is 23 inches tall, and 10 by 9 inches in section. It is carefully carved; the edges of the reliefs are rounded into softness, and at the bottom of d is a bird's head of the Croft type. (A 2.)

Part of a hogback (e), is 47 inches long as it stands, 23 inches high at the top of the ridge, and 11 inches thick. The ridge is formed of a double cable. All rudely hacked. (B 2.)

The shaft-fragment (f,g) is 22 inches high, 12 tapering to 9 inches in breadth, and 44 inches thick. It has a flat strap chiselled and hacked, rather deeply cut. Note the rings through the arris as in Brompton h. The other side and edge are like those shown. (B 2.)

The bit of a door-jamb (1⁄2), 18} by 11 by 8 inches, is deeply chiselled, the ground cleared out flat, the rope-plait rounded and undercut; no pattern on the other sides. The dotted lines show the section of the ornamented face of the stone. (A 2.)

There is also at Wycliffe a small bit of well-cut but weathered plait-work, 7 by 4 by 3 inches, the interlacing tight and showing no ground; probably the arm of a cross. (A.)

Professor George Stephens (O. N. Run. Mon., i., p. 476) mentions a fragment of grave-cross with inscription, not in runes-" Bæda set after Berchwini"-which he dates about eighth century, as having been found at Wycliffe, but lost.

YARM. The "Trumbercht" or "Heriberecht" shaft is now at Durham in the Cathedral Library (No. 50 in the Catalogue); but in the church, at the east end of the south aisle, among fragments (two of which are cross-heads but apparently post-Conquest), is the part of a coped gravestone, figured. It is 15 inches broad, 9 inches long, and 6 inches thick, but the ridge has been cut away and only these tegulæ different from the Norman tegulated coping stones also seen here-remain to suggest a grave-cover of a type approaching the hogback. These stones were found on the site of the grammar school, in the present churchyard, but probably came from the fabric of the ancient church.

WYCLIFFE COAT OF ARMS

ON OUTSIDE OF SOUTH WALL OF
WYCLIFFE CHURCH N. YORKS.

SCULPTURED STONES AT WYCLIFFE.

By H. D. PRITCHETT.

THE Sculptured stones represented upon the opposite page have been preserved by being let into the south wall of Wycliffe-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, at a height of about six feet from the ground to the centre of the cross-shaft. The freestone grave-cover was found in 1801, close to the foundations of the church, whilst some rubbish was being removed. It formed the cover of a stone coffin, which was found to be empty, and had previously been opened and rifled. The cover, unquestionably a work of the thirteenth century, presents a most beautiful and perfect foliated cross, the head of which stands out half an inch or more from the surface of the stone, whilst the sinkings are down to the same plane. The inscription is in flush leaded letters, most of which are perfect. In the drawing, the letters which are perfect are shown black, whilst those from which the lead is missing are in outline only. The inscription appears to be:CI GIST ISEQDE DE HELA.... FEMME THOMAS

DE TH... [? Thorpe].'

The stone above the grave-cover is a single slab of Tees marble or blue limestone, with a pinnacle or finial in the centre, dividing two shields of arms. It has a broadly splayed base, and has no doubt at one time formed part of a Wycliffe monument or altartomb, and most probably was placed in its present position, along with the grave-cover, soon after 1801. The carving is in a wonderful state of preservation, the shields standing out as much as 2 inches from the slab. The first shield is:-Quarterly. 1 and 4, Argent a chevron between three crosses croslet sable, for Wycliffe of Thorpe ; 2 and 3, Argent on a chevron sable three bucks' heads caboshed of the field, for Ellerton. The Ellerton coat was brought into the Wycliffe shield about the commencement of the fourteenth century, by the marriage of Robert Wycliffe (who was living 30 Edw. I. and 1 Edw. III.) with Joan, daughter and heir of Geoffrey de Ellerton of Swaledale. The second shield on the slab has the same quartered coat, impaling-Argent a chevron sable between three rooks proper,

1 In the "Inquisitiones Feodorum," &c. (1287), the following occurs:- Hoton Parva (Little Hutton), "Sunt ibi 3 Caruc. terræ, unde 12, &c., quas Wil. de Hoton

tenet de Roberto filio Thomæ de Thorpe & ipse Robertus de Comite et Comes de Rege." It may fairly be conjectured that this was the same Thomas de Thorpe.

a fleur de-lis on the chevron, for Rokeby. This records the marriage of John Wycliffe, who, according to Harrison's pedigree, was greatgreat-grandson of the above-mentioned Robert, and who at all events was present at Agincourt in 1415, with Ann, daughter of Sir Thomas Rokeby of Rokeby and Mortham.

There is of course no indication of tinctures on the stone, but these have been supplied from a MS. of Yorkshire arms, in Dugdale's handwriting, which is now in the possession of the Rev. Carus V. Collier, F.S.A. The fleur-de-lis in the Rokeby coat is probably a cadency mark, but the curious scoring or incisions on the chevrons is singular, especially as they are not extended to the Ellerton coat. Dugdale gives the Wycliffe chevron as plain, and this appearance of four chevronels is perhaps nothing more than a fancy of the stonecutter. Dr. Whitaker gives an illustration and description of these stones in his History of Richmondshire, vol. i., pp. 199 and 200, but it is incorrect in several particulars.