Mid-sixteenth-century
A creature with wings, a long tail and a rigged spine. The creature appears to be self castrating with its head twisted beneath the body in order to bite at itself.
This carving bears a resemblance to medieval depictions of beavers being hunted. Valued for their nether regions, it was thought that the creature would bite off these parts to evade death. However, it is unusual for this animal to be shown with wings. This could be attributed to the belief in its magical properties as it lives both on land and in water.
It is theorised that the town name Beverley originated from the term 'Beaver-lake' due to a large native population during the tenth century. This could explain the reason for its inclusion in the ceiling.
The ceiling in the nave was repainted in 1865.