Parish churches and vernacular houses of 15th century England. The churches include rood screens and early bench seats. The style is the simpler perpendicular Gothic style. The homes are timber framed. Many of these, however, have later updates. Lavenham is notable for 15th century and 16th century (Tudor) buildings.
13. 1287 Exeter Synod
• “Alas we have heard that, on account of seats
in churches, the parishioners are often
vexed, two or more persons claiming one seat
. . .
• We enact that no one from henceforth may
claim a seat in church as his own; noble
persons and patrons of churches only
excepted. He who for the cause of prayer shall
first enter a church, let him select a place of
prayer according to his will."
In part the use of roods in the nave may have been driven by the more widespread introduction of screens, which would have blocked a view of a rood on or near the altar in the chancel. The earliest fragments of what must almost certainly have been screens in smaller churches date to the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, although it is less clear how representative they are. A small group of minor churches in Yorkshire, including Healaugh, Frickley, (Old) Edlington, and Rossington, have late Romanesquechancel arches apparently standing on low walls across the chancel arch, perhaps derived from a lost local prototypeBy the very late thirteenth and early fourteenth century, however, we can say with more confidence that screens were becoming widespread
he splendid Cantor's desk. This was used for reading the Gospel, and is unusual in having two ledges, one facing east, the other west. It may originally have been in the rood loft. The eastern side has an image of St John's evangelistic symbol and the opening line of his Gospel in Latin; the west face has, apparently pasted on, a fifteenth century versicle form of the Gloria.RanworthAntiphoner, a large singing book now in a bullet-proof glass case. This illuminated manuscript was produced at Langley Abbey, and used in this church before the Reformation, and then disappeared for three hundred years. In the 1850s, it was discovered in the collection of the merchant banker Henry Huth, but it was not until its sale in 1912 that it was recognised as coming from Ranworth originally.
Bench end or “poppy” head
Sign UpExploreUploadSign In←->⤢××Spencer MeansSciapod bench end carving (15th C.): The Church of St Mary, Dennington, Suffolk, EnglandThe Denningtonsciapod is the only medieval depiction of this mythical creature in an English church.
Men on south; women on north Corrspond to seating in church
Little Hall which was built by a family that had been farmers who decided that the woolen industry might be a better option. They settled here, starting with a very small and simple house to which they gradually added on as their business prospered, until they had a proper seat.
