Misericords outside of the UK Although this probably reflects
more on the dissolution of the monasteries in the mid 16th
century, and King Edward VI’s vehement hatred of Catholicism,
British churches, largely, stopped creating misericords by the
end of the 16th century, whereas continental Europe, continued
the tradition well into the 18th century. One difference that is
worth noting between British (and Irish) and Continental
misericords is the supporters - British misericords are likely
to have supporters, the earlier examples are usually floral or
leaf designs, whilst later misericords such as those at Beverley
Minster, Ripon Minster and Manchester Cathedral have supporters
which are an extension of the main design. Continental
misericords, with limited exceptions, do not have supporters.
Sadly, many European misericords were destroyed in the latter
part of the 18th or early 19th centuries; mainly this was due to
a pan-European fuel shortage - at this time much of Europe was
at war, or trading with distant