Royal Beestes in Diamond Jubilee Year
Pair of Heraldic Figures, possibly ‘Leopards of England’, known as ‘Kyngs’s Beestes’.
English, c. 1520-30.
Taynton Stone, Height 47¼" (1,20m), Width 17" (43cm), Depth 14½" (37cm).
Provenance :- Probably from of one of Henry VIII’s palaces in Greater London; later unknown until discovered by Andrew Delahunty at Worcester Park, Surrey in 1985; Andrew Delahunty, St Geours de Maremne, France (1985-2009); Todd Longstaffe-Gowan and Tim Knox, London, from 2009.
Exhibited :- Hampton Court Palace, on loan, 2009-2011. These sculptures have been displayed in the Great Hall at Hampton Court for the last two years, described there as follows – ‘New Discovery – the King’s Beasts. These are the only original royal beasts known to have survived from one of Henry VIII’s palaces of the 1520s or 30s. The heraldic leopards were rescued from a local pub garden in Surrey and their true significance has only recently been uncovered. The weathered Taynton stone animals are part of the King’s armorial badge and once flew his flags from their lances’.
This pair of large, free-standing stone beasts is a rare example of English early-16th Century sculpture, and a rare survival of heraldic figures of this date.(1) Their attribution to the first quarter of the 16th Century is well-accepted,(2) though the only account yet found for stone heraldic beasts of this type and scale is for a pair at Henry VIII’s royal palace at Dartford, placed at the bottom of the main staircase.(3) The material, Taynton stone, from Oxfordshire, was commonly used for royal buildings, particularly in the area nearest to its source, and many Oxford churches and colleges used the stone. Christopher Wren used Taynton Stone in most of his London churches, and hired his Master Mason from Taynton for St. Paul’s Cathedral.
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Footnotes.
1. Related heraldic figures are the set of four carved and painted wood ‘Dacre Beasts’, and the three carved oak Naworth Castle heraldic figures, both also from the early-16th Century, and both now in the Victoria & Albert Museum.
2. Including the following :- Dr. David Gaimster, Assistant Keeper, Department of Mediaeval and Modern Europe, The British Museum (2001); Sir Roy Strong, former Director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and author of numerous works on 16th Century art and architecture (2001); Dr. Jonathan Foyle, Director, World Monuments Fund, formerly Curator, Hampton Court Palace, author of work on Tudor architecture (correspondence 2001-09); Dr. Simon Thurley, CEO English Heritage, author of various books on Tudor architecture, and former Director of Historic Royal Palaces (2009); Susanne Groome, Curator, Hampton Court Palace (2009).
3. We are very grateful to Simon Thurley for this information.
