12 MARCH 1948, Page 14

A Craft's Survival The history of the carver-craftsmen engaged in

gouging out the architect's pleasing and ingenious patterns for the friezes has a sur- prising finale. They used to be vagrom or nomad, moving to any place, generally a great church or cathedral, where carvers were needed. Their numbers dwindled, and when experts were needed for the House of Commons job a great hunt was set afoot. The most successful draw was Denham. Carvers are in request for the making of scenes for films, and by this surprising new detriand this glorious historic guild, so to call it, has been in part kept alive.