The Screen was originally the division between the rood-loft and the
chapel of our Lady of Pity. Bishop Lyhart erected the rood-loft, and
upon it the principal rood or cross was placed with the representation of
the Holy Trinity, to whom this church was dedicated; together with the
images of the Blessed Virgin and St. John, and such other saints as were
esteemed here. The rood or crucifix, of full proportions, was made of
wood, and in most churches was placed in a loft constructed for the
purpose over the entrance from the church into the chancel. The nave
represented the Church Militant, and the chancel the Church Triumphant.
Those, therefore, who would pass out of the former into the latter, must
go under the loft; that is, must go under the cross and suffer
affliction. But no rood was complete without the images of the Virgin
and St. John on either side of the cross, in allusion to St. John xix.
26,—“Jesus saw His mother and the disciple standing by, whom He loved.”
The Choir contains sixty-two stalls according to the number of the old
foundations, namely, a prior, sub-prior, and sixty monks. They are
adorned with rich and quaint carvings and canopies, as far as the west
pillars of the tower. The “misereres” (projecting brackets on the under
side of the seats of stalls in churches), are richly carved and present a
great variety of design. Among the stalls the Rev. R. Hart discovered
upwards of sixty _misereres_, and he described them very minutely. In
every example that he had seen the space under the ledge is carved in a
bold relief, with an ornamented boss on each side to balance, as it were,
the centre, whatever it might have been. As may be supposed scriptural
or legendary designs are not often found in such a position. There are,
however, a few examples.
The interior of the tower, which is raised on four massive arches,
presents three arcades, the upper and lower forming galleries, and the
former containing the lower windows of the lantern, which are filled with
painted glass. The clerestory and roof of the chancel are the work of
Bishop Goldwell. Here is an admirable specimen of engrafting a later
style upon the Norman architecture, with as little violence to the eye as
possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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