Sunday Times "where Was I?" - 28-05-2017 - Missing Clue?

[Flonska]

Wonder why the palimpsest remained unseen?

[syruphead]

hi , not sure the point of your question, can you elaborate please?
Is the church at Narborough btw?

[syruphead]

If you have checked what a palimpsest is then it may be the compiler is making a play on the word.

[Flonska]

Yes, that's where I think the church is. Interesting that two villages bear the same name as do the churches.

Sorry, there was a typo in my original posting, I meant to ask "if" the object remained unseen and not "why" since the puzzler had asked himself how to identify it and, in reality, it appears to be an incomplete and relatively small illustration of that kind of work.

[goodgoalie]

Quite an easy one this week, Flonska- no canals or Roman settlements, but, of course, a disused railway!

[Flonska]

Agreed, it was quite easy really.

We have seen a couple of disused airfields and railway stations in recent weeks but as for canals, the reredorter / necessarium is perhaps the closest he came across one of those, on this occasion?

[syruphead]

I could not find any reference to the palimpsest at that church despite a long time googling, so had to assume it was Narborough which fitted with other clues given

[Flonska]

Establishing the correct location of the palimpsest required a little research since the references were not in the seemingly more obvious places.

I found one description on the Church Monuments Society web site for the area, although the mention of it appears to have been almost incidental to the other items held within the church..

A further reference may be found in Judith M Bennett's studies of the history of women in the late medieval England, especially the exploration of the interesting relationship between Elizabeth Etchingham and Agnes Oxenbridge c 1840 which is depicted in the brass on the floor of the chancel.

[syruphead]

THANKS FOR THE INFO FLONSKA

[goodgoalie]

My much-thumbed copy of the 'Blue Guide to England' (now out of print, but given to me as Christmas present in 1998 - that's how long I've been doing this puzzle!) says of the church in Narborough:
'has a fine standing effigy of Clement Spelman, as well as good brasses, one a palimpsest'.

[Flonska]

The "blurb" I found describes the effigy as a "standing alabaster figure in robes of the Recorder of Nottingham." Apparently, it is associated with the story that he was buried upright for, as a Judge, "no one had walked over him in life and no one was going to walk over him in death. "

Half a Mo' . . . but . . . in an earlier puzzle - not that long ago - wasn't there a clue about someone else who was interred in a similar position. The puzzler appears to indulge in these little themes, methinks?

[goodgoalie]

Ben Jonson is the only person buried 'standing' up in Westminster Abbey - maybe that'll crop up soon!

[goodgoalie]

sorry - 'standing up'

[Flonska]

Typo and apology noted, thanks!

In reciprocity, I now recall that it was Major Peter Labelliere who was buried at Box Hill but "upside down" - not "standing up."