It may not be the biggest or the most famous but it’s...
The Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Small is sometimes more impressive than large: it is certainly the case with the Chapel Royal in Hampton Court Palace. What we see today is primarily the design of Sir Christopher Wren in the reigns of William and Mary and Anne. The Church originally on this spot was a 13th century Templar chapel. Wolsey’s Tudor chapel of the 1520s was embellished by Henry VIII. The altar has a massive but plain oak reredos with garlands carved by Grinling Gibbons during the reign of Queen Anne. All that remains of the Tudor decoration is the timber and plaster ceiling made for King Henry VIII It is considered to be one of the finest examples in England of a Tudor pendant-vaulted ceiling. The ceiling was prefabricated in oak at Sonning in Berkshire before being painted. and gilded on site. The bright Tudor colour scheme was restored in 1847. The Royal Motto ‘Dieu et mon Droit’ (God and my Right) appears thirty-two times, expressing King Henry VIII’s conviction that the Tudor Dynasty possessed Divine authority In a gallery with a clear view of the altar (and a spectacular view of the ceiling), is the royal pew where the royal family attended services apart from the general congregation seated below. In the same gallery is the rather small room or chapel, known as the Queen’s Holy Day Closet, where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn were married. Daily services are still said there.
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Tenby and Caldey Island The small walled town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire is a pleasant little seaside town that also offers a great day (or two) out for the church explorer. There is far more to see and do than I could describe in this short article. Not only are there two churches in the town to look at, it is also the starting point for the boat to Caldey Island. In the centre of the town we find the parish church of St Mary-in-Liberty. Like many churches built in small but prosperous towns, it is an imposing edifice added to over the centuries. The stone arch ruin standing to the east was a clergy residence or a choir school. Although I have visited the church several times, I find the interior a little confusing as it does not present itself in a familiar church pattern. The two aisled nave does not lead to transepts and crossing; the south aisle comes to an end at the tower, beyond which is St Thomas’ chapel. A notable memorial is to the mathematician Robert Recorde, inventor of the equals sign (=). The north aisle comes to St Nicholas’ chapel with its memorials and tombs. The churches wealth of history, including monuments and stained glass have gained it a grade I listing; for a long description of its treasures visit the British Listed Buildings web site at http://goo.gl/OrOrYviJ It is interesting to note that two of the most outstanding windows are War Memorials, that in the south aisle is by the firm of C.E. Kempe & Co. And the large window designed by Karl Parsons is said to be one of the finest windows in Pembrokeshire. The superb opus sectile monument to Bessie Henderson, depicting Faith flanked by angels, was also designed by Parsons. The small St Julian's Church or Fishermen’s Chapel is in the Harbour. The original Fishermen’s Chapel dated back at least as far as 1539 and stood on the old pier. The chapel and pier were demolished in 1840 and St Julian's Church was built between 1874 and 1878, as a replacement, to serve the seafaring community. Built of stone from nearby Caldey Island it has several interesting windows and a painting of The Good Shepherd over the altar. A twenty minute boat trip takes us to Caldey Island. The first monks on the island were from the Celtic church and it has been home to various orders of monks over the centuries, the present ones being Cistercians. There are two churches to visit: the medieval churches of St David with its stained glass by the monk Theodore Baily in the 1920s and St Illtud at the Old Priory, displaying the Caldey Ogham Stone. Visitors are also welcome to attend one of the short chanted services in the Abbey Church, which form part of the daily prayer life of the monks.
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Durham Cathedral, The Sanctuary Knocker Reaching the door of the Abbey after fleeing across the Green, the fugitive grasped the ring held in the mouth of of the mask, banged it loudly and cried out, “Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!” Let me pause for a moment, for I am getting ahead with the story. Anyone who ‘had committed a great offence,’ would be given sanctuary for thirty-seven days. There were two small chambers above the doorway with windows where monks sat keeping a watch out for sanctuary seekers, letting them in promptly, at any time of the day or night. When a person sought sanctuary in the Cathedral, the Galilee bell would be rung to announce it. The sanctuary seeker would be given a black robe to wear, with St Cuthbert’s Cross sewn on the left shoulder to distinguish them as one who had been granted sanctuary by God and his saint. He was kept in an enclosure separated from the rest of the church, and was provided food, drink, bedding and other necessities at the abbey’s exp ense, until the person’s safe departure could be arranged. The fugitive, having decided to admit his guilt before God and the authorities, had thirty-seven days to leave England The only way to do that was by sea, and he was escorted to a port, usually Hartlepool, where he was put on the first boat to continental Europe, with no return ticket! The Right to Sanctuary was abolished in 1624. The knocker you can see on the North Door today is a modern replica of the 12th century original, the original being far too valuable to leave exposed to the elements; even the copy has suffered corrosive weathering, showing a patina of verdigris, which is typical of copper or copper alloys. The original can be seen in the Treasury Museum, located in the cloisters of the Cathedral
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Church furnishings can mean many things, permanent or temporary. This series is mainly concerned with those that are a part of the fabric and structure of the building or permanently set in place
Sedilia
Looking around the church you may notice somewhere near the altar, alcoves or recessed seats, usually three, These are sedilia, from the Latin sedile - seat. They are normally set into the wall to the south side of the altar. These are for the clergy at mass: the officiating priest and his assistants, the deacon and sub-deacon. Like most features of churches they have many variations. Early may be simple be simple benches later becoming round-arched recesses or elaborate gothic niches. They are often graduated, the celebrant taking the highest level. In many instances the piscina is either adjacent to the sedilia or incorporated into them. The arches or canopies can be highly deýcorated, with elaborate carving, often of foliage, or with heads of kings, queens, or religious figures . Although most sedilia are stone, not all are; there is, for example, a wooden one which probably dates from the 15th century in St Nicholas' Church at Rodmersham in Kent. When there is only one seat, as at St Mary’s, Princes Risborough the singular form 'sedile' is used.
Engraved in Stone We often rely on monuments to give us dates and other information, but being engraved in stone does not necessarily mean that it is true. An example of this is found at Holy Trinity Church in Llandudno. The cornerstone was laid in 1865 and states that Lady Augusta Mostyn performed the ceremony. Actually, on the day of the ceremony Lady Augusta was ill and the rector’s wife, Mrs Katherine Anwyl Morgan, took her place. The date, although correct for the laying of the s tone, can also mislead for the church was only partly completed by 1872 and not consecrated until 1874, nine years after the ceremony recorded on the cornerstone. 5
The chapter house was an important part of the monastic settlement or collegiate church. It was the conference room or boardroom; the centre of business and administration. The community would meet in the chapter house with the abbot to "hold chapter"; that is to share in a reading or “chapter”, they also met for the correction of faults, the assigning of the tasks for the day, and for the exhortation of the superior, and again for the evening reading before Compline. Monastic communities were governed by an administrative body of priors or abbots and monks which became known as the ‘chapter’ from meeting in thiber. Synods, ecclesiastical courts and similar meetings often took place in chapter houses. Chapter houses are often a separate building adjoining the abbey church or cathedral, frequently linked by a slype or cloister walk. The most common design for chapter houses is polygonal, with a pointed external roof supported on a central column. The interior walls are lined with individual seats for chapter members, often outlined by arcading or piers, with canopies over each seat. In some instances the seats have the office of the member named on them. Some of the best surviving examples of medieval chapter houses can be seen at Westminster Abbey. Wells Cathedral, Lichfield Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, York Minster, and Southwell Minster. The more striking of these structures have huge stained glass windows creating an extraordinarily light and spacious interior. Today chapter houses are still used for meetings, but in many of our cathedrals and great churches they have found other uses. Some are now the home of exhibitions or small museums, as at Lichfield where it houses the St Chad Gospel. In other places they are where people gather to chat over a cup of tea, in yet others they are places of quiet and meditation. .6
Part 3 Epistle side: The side of the building from which the Epistle lesson is read, usually the right-hand side of the church building from the perspective of the congregation facing the altar. The opposite is the Gospel side. Font: A basin for water to be used in church baptisms, usually in a stand. Also known as the Baptismal Font. Also, a fixed receptacle for holy water at the entrance to the church or in the sacristy. Gargoyle: A carved figure acting as a waterspout Gospel side: The Gospel side of the church is pp thhe left-hand side of the church from the perspective of the congregation facing the altar. The opposite is the Epistle side. Grotesque: A carved decorative figure, usually a head, that does not act as a waterspout Misericord: A small wooden structure formed on the underside of a folding seat in a church especially in the choir stalls, which, when the seat is folded up, is intended to act as a shelf to support a person in a partially standing position during long periods of prayer. Although hidden underneath the seats, they are often carved showing scenes of medieval life, sometimes with great humour. Lancet: A tall, narrow, single light window with a pointed arch. Lectern: From the Latin, lectrum, meaning "reading desk". This is a raised platform used for reading prayers or scripture; usually located at the front of the nave, opposite the pulpit, on the epistle side. The actual stand or podium is also referred to as the lectern, as well as being called the ambo. Narthex: The entrance hall, vestibule or foyer to the church, the enclosed area between the outside doors and the nave. Nave: The area of the church building where the congregation sits or stands during public worship. Derived from the Latin navigation ("ship") the word is applied because in older churches the beams of the roof resembled the beams and timbers of a ship. Pace: A small aisle or passage way off the main nave aisle in a church. Lectern Parish Hall/House: A gathering place for a local congregation separate from the church building or sanctuary.0 Piscina: A sink or basin, usually built into the chancel wall, for washing the vessels used at Holy Communion and for reverently disposing of wine that has been consecrated. The piscina drains into directly into the Consecrated ground. Prie-dieu: A prayer desk- An individual kneeling bench with shelf.
Pulpit
Pulpit: From the Latin pulpitum ("platform"). A raised platform or podium used for the preaching, generally located in the front of the gospel side of the nave. In many non-conformist churches, the pulpit is in the centre, to signify the impor7tance of Scripture and the sermon. Reredos: Pronounced, "rear-re-doss", this is any decoration behind or above an altar; it may be in the form of statues, screens, or tapestries. Retable: The retable, sometimes known as a gradine, is a narrow shelf located behind an altar that is placed against the wall, often used to house a tabernacle Candles and flowers may also be placed on it.
Rood, rood loft and roodscreen: These are all found at the entrance to the chancel or choir from the nave. The rood, from Saxon rode, is a large cross or crucifix which hangs above or is attached to the rood screen. The rood loft is a platform on the screen where services were conducted. Many screens and lofts were destroyed during the Reformation or Civil War/Commonwealth period. The glossary continues in the next issue.
http://www.issuu,com/the-captain Email: magazines@post.com ©2016. The Captain's Library Issue 4 Autumn(2) 2016 The Church Mouse is published as an e-magazine and no paper version is available. You may, however, print a copy for your own use. Published as A4, but will fit “letter”.
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In the next issue. We are devoting quite a bit of space to one topic next month - Relics. They played an important role in mediaeval churches and we have several items and articles on this subject. We are visiting Lichfield Cathedral and an interesting chapel in Canterbury. A regular feature ‘curiosities’ looks at an unusual pulpit feature. The glossary is coming to an end