Tour of St. Simon & St. Jude Church

3. THE CHANCEL

The Chancel

As it is now, the Church is largely as it was rebuilt in about 1350, with the Chancel being enlarged. Note that it is long and narrow, and affords a strong contrast to the Nave. The most important item in the chancel, and the focal point of our worship, is the altar, here built of stone, which blends with adjacent stonework. In 1847 the ‘Communion Table’ was described as being “small, of oak inlaid”. It was removed in 1890 and replaced by the present stone one when the Reverend Hawksley Westall was Priest in charge. Above it, the east window dates from about 1350. It has three lights, some of the original tracery, enclosed in what is now a plain circle, has been lost. On the north side is a two-light window of the same period, the mullion of which has been removed, though the tracery remains, and opposite, on the south side, is a window from which mullion and tracery have been removed. The doorway behind the choir stalls was originally a two-light window of the 14th century; the tracery of this remains. This alteration was probably effected on the 18th century when the tower was rebuilt, and a plastered ceiling added to the Chancel.

Below the south-east window is an original piscine with an octagonal bowl. The two sedelia in the south wall, divided by an attached shaft, are also original. On the north side of the altar is a marble monument dedicated to Sir Thomas Tyrrell and his wife, Bridget.

Chancel of the church about 1910
This picture of the Chancel is on a postcard postmarked Aug 27 1910
that was sent to Mrs.Mills of Station Road.

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