The Medieval carved wooden corbels originally from

Devizes, Wiltshire.
The following figures 2-4 – 2-19 illustrate the assemblage of Devizes heads.

Figure 0-1 Head 1 Figure 0-2 Head 2

Figure 0-3 Head 3 Figure 0-4 Head 4

Figure 0-5 Head 5 Figure 0-6 Head 6

Figure 0-7 Head 7 Figure 0-8 Head 8

Figure 0-9 Head 9 Figure 0-10 Head 10

Figure 0-11 Head 11 Figure 0-12 Head 12

Figure 0-13 Head 13 Figure 0-14 Head 14

Figure 0-15 Head 15 Figure 0-16 Head 16

 Width Depth Height Weight Extraneous detail
cms cms cms Kgs.
Head 1 16 58 19 8.000 Full length.Paint
Head 2 17 31 18 3.500 Metal fixing
Head 3 16 30 19 3.000 9cms metal
Head 4 16 30 18 2.800 In two pcs.
Head 5 18 31 19 3.500 Visible 3 marks
Head 6 18 33 19 4.000 Metal nail head in top
Head 7 17 31 19 2.900 Remains of metal strap
Head 8 18 25 19 3.400 Metal strap
Head 9 18 35 18 3.700 Light coloured paint front
Head 10 16 32 20 4.015 Split in half, plaster infill
Head 11 18 32 19 3.500 15cm metal strap
Head 12 16 31 19 3.400 Loose plaster
Head 13 17 30 18 3.500 Peg proud near mortice
Table 1

Head 1 Longest length - inside mortice 22x5x16cms Plain headdress.

Nostrils. Condition: good, but old crack in centre of face filled in, gesso visible
under brown paint, which continues 12cms under chin.

Head 2 Padded headdress or turban style roll. Clean shaven. Absence of

nostrils. Condition:

Head 3 Plain headdress – trace of red bole. Clean-shaven. Absence of

nostrils Condition: good.

Head 4 Plain headdress trace of red bole. Moustache. No nostrils. Condition:

two pieces, only half mortice behind head, fragile, evidence of woodworm.

Head 5 Plain and stepped headdress. Moustache. Absence of nostrils.

Condition: good but crack on his left hand side of face.

Head 6 Plain and stepped squared front to headdress. Absence of nostrils.

Condition: crack across lhs of his face continues over right eye to headdress.

Head 7 Plain and stepped squared front to headdress. Suggestion of

moustache. Absence of nostrils. Condition : face good, no back projection.

Head 8 Plain headdress. Suggestion of nostrils. Incised teeth. Condition:

fair, hairline crack around lower lip.
Head 9 ‘Christ’ or St. John. Headdress obliterated. Appears to be bearded.
Moustache. Pronounced nose, small nostrils. Condition: dramatic crack to his
left check under eye.

Head 10 Padded headdress or turban style rolls. Clean-shaven. Nostrils.

Condition: Split horizontally, 16x6cms old plaster infill.

Head 11 Plain broad headdress. Broad face. Clean-shaven Nostrils. One

mark to centralise middle of nose. Condition: good, crack in headdress.

Head 12 Plain stepped headdress. Clean-shaven Nostrils. Condition: severe

crack to right hand side of face, old loose plaster in crack.

Head 13 ‘King’ Crowned headdress – fleur-de-lys pattern. Moustache.

Nostrils. 3cm peg proud, close to mortice and sawn off end. Condition: good.

Head 14 Fixed, squared back and side, suggests natural pairing with head 14,
plain stepped headdress, appears ‘female’, condition: good, heavily painted
over visible gesso.

Head 15 Fixed, to suggest supporting beam, squared back and side would
suggest corner position, plain headdress, moustache similar to ‘king’
condition: good, heavily painted over visible gesso.

Head 16 In the British Museum. Sizes similar.