The Arundel Corbels and a Royal Connection

It is quite likely that Henry Yevele was the lead mason planning and managing the construction of St Nicholas’ Church at the end of the 14th Century. He was a loyal and long trusted employee of Edward III and would frequently have met the 3rd and 4th Fitzalan Earl at Court.

Edward III and his wife, Queen Philippa are buried in Westminster Abbey and effigies of them both were placed on their tomb. Henry Yevele supervised this work. He also supervised construction of tomb figures for the 3rd Fizalan Earl and his wife soon after 1376.

The most western corbels in the church present a strong stone likeness of the figures on the Westminster Abbey tomb of King and Queen. So, could it be that two of the corbels in St Nicholas' pay homage to Edward III and Queen Philippa? The evidence certainly points in that direction.

Below you can see an image of all the corbels in the nave at St Nicholas'. Corbels 1 to 6 go from west to east on the north side of the nave. Corbels 7 to 12 go from east to west on the south side of the nave.