Limestone statues from St. Mary’s Abbey, York; Moses, Unknow Apostle, St. James and St. John the Evangelist.

These larger than life statues were placed above the west entrance to the abbey church at St. Mary’s to awe and inspire visitors. Beautifully crafted and painted they are the finest surviving example of eleventh century sculpture in the country. The statues were discovered by Reverend Charles Wellbeloved in 1827. They had been unceremoniously laid face down in the ground as foundations stones when the church was later rebuilt.*

*From and information board next to the statues