At the request of Wells Cathedral we have made the only officially commissioned miniature of their famous Toothache Man.

The Stiff Leaf carvings on the 13th century capitals at Wells Cathedral are particularly beautiful examples of the stone mason’s art. Hidden amongst the exuberantly carved foliage are many little figures and animals which add greatly to the charm and interest of the capitals; no two of which are alike. One such figure, carved as a detail upon a capital in the west bay of the south transept is the Toothache Man.

This carving of a man suffering toothache has been linked with the Bishop William Bytton II, who died in 1274. His tomb became famous for the alleviation of dental ailments and it has frequently been suggested he was the inspiration for the toothache man. However, from studies of the carving style, it seems very likely that the carving actually predates the bishop’s demise and it was actually the toothache man who gave rise to the legend of the Bishop’s miraculous powers.

Please scroll down to see all available finishes for this piece.

Original stone finish (87)

Red Antique finish (87R)

Bronze finish (87A)

The photographs below show the actual carving in Wells Cathedral (left) and our miniature (right). There is some slight distortion to the photograph of the miniature in relation to the one of the real thing, since the camera was positioned only a few inches from the miniature and a different focal length of lens used. But we hope you will be able to see the degree of accuracy in the miniature.

The real Toothache Man in Wells Cathedral

Our miniature of the Toothache Man