Detail
Angelic being on a wheel.
Angelic being on a wheel.
A cope is a garment like a cape and is still worn by Bishops and senior clergy in some churches. In the medieval period it was used in processions and special occasions. A cope has a semi-
The Skenfrith Cope is an example of the type of embroidery known as Opus Anglicanum. Expert opinion dates the Cope to the latter half of the 15th Century. By this time the design and workmanship of Opus Anglicanum vestments had passed their peak. Never the less the cope is a thing of beauty and a must to see.
The Cope can be seen in the church by drawing curtains that protect it from the light
There are many legends surrounding the history of the Cope but all that we know for certain is that Father Thomas Abbot, priest-in-charge of the Catholic mission for Monmouth, visited the church in the mid 19 th Century and found the Cope being used as a cover for the Communion table.
The Cambrian Archaeological Association published an article, from which we have quoted, and the Cope was placed in the current glass-fronted case during a refurbishment of the church in 1910
A leaflet giving more details about the cope can be found on the table immediately to your right as you enter the church.
The Cambrian Archaeological Association published an article, from which we have quoted, and the Cope was placed in the current glass-
A leaflet giving more details about the cope can be found on the table immediately to your right as you enter the church.
