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On the trail of the history of the Knights Templar next door

Hi guys,
I’m on the track of the history of Thomas and Isabelle Moore (AKA de la More, AKA Isabella, AKA Isabel…wish history would make up its mind…but then I suppose it’s the same as agreeing on Shakespear Shackspeare Shakespeare.)

So apart from the different name spellings, I’ve discovered a few more things.
Thomas Moore died in 1361 and was interned in the private Moore chapel in the church beside his wife who died earlier.
This is the position we find the Moores in presently in the North wing of the church, but their original position in a Western recess, was on a pair of knee high cross-slabs, side by side, with Isabelle in front of Thomas.

Here is Thomas with some Medieval frescos above him.
So now, here is the trouble with building a Victorian church, on top of a Reformation church, on top of a Catholic Medieval church. (And darn the Victorians anyway for their destroy modernize everything ethos.) If the Moores were moved, what were these frescos for?

Here is Isabelle and I have the same question. What are the frescos above her?

I found out another little key bit of info; this North wing of the church was believed to be the private chapel of the Moors, so maybe the frescos are part of the private chapel.

These frescos above Isabelle are really the only ones where I can make something out of them.
To me, it looks like a classic Medieval painting of Christ and possibly Thomas to the right, There is a slight trace of a figure on the left. Maybe that was Isabelle.

There is one more figure above the alcove Isabelle is under, and it seems to be an angel holding a scroll or something. I can just make out a mirror image of the scroll on the other side.

On another wall are images I cannot see here in the North chapel at all. They must be somewhere else in the church.

The trouble is that the space where the Moores originally lay is now right under the church bell tower, and that space is the vicar’s room and is locked away. (I’ll have to call in some help to unlock that area and have a good hunt around to see if any of these frescos still exist.

They are badly faded photos of some original watercolours. The little sign says that they were painted around the 1930s when the wall paintings were uncovered. The sign also says that the originals are in the Bodleian Library in town. So it’s off to town I go to begin to unravel this mystery.

Hopefully, I’ll find the paintings and be able to photograph them for the village and we will put this mystery together.

Comments: 5

  • July 29, 2017
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    Exciting!

  • July 30, 2017
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    You are becoming a history mystery sleuth.

  • Susan

    July 30, 2017
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    Your investigation and findings are very interesting. Waiting to hear more.

  • August 2, 2017
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    i love a good medieval mystery … i wish i was there playing watson to your holmes

  • August 5, 2017
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    Hey V .. gosh how exciting delving into this. Oh I wonder what you will uncover .. 🙂 it will be great if you can get into the Vicars room! Good luck ..

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