In smaller parish churches of the Gothic era, there was often not enough space or money for a Pulpitum, so a rood screen was used by itself to separate a choir and altar from the nave. By the way, we get our world pulpit from the pulpitum primarily because that carved stone structure had a hidden stairwell inside it, by which the organist could reach the organ loft. In England, this spiral-stairwell inside the Pulpitum was often taken out and used as the foundation for the first preaching-pulpits as we know them today. THE ROOD Restored rood screen in St. Mellanus, Mullion, Cornwall (altar visible) One of the very few roods of the Classical era: St. Margaret Lothbury, London (very open and non-Medieval) THE PULPITUM Southwell Minster, looking toward the Pulpitum from inside the Quire (the Rood Screen is behind the photographer) (Altar would've been just barely visible to the laity in the nave) York Minster, in the Quire, looking into the nave through the Rood Screen (Pulpitum is behind the photographer).
They also had hagioscopes in churches to enable the laity to get a good view of the Elevation. A hagioscope is an oblique opening in a wall eg from a Transept through to the Chancel. Here's one at St Rumon's Ruanlanihorne in my Diocese.
Thank you for the fascinating info, Symphorian. Neutral, informative posts like that one have taught me to find respect and good will in my heart toward Anglicans of your persuasion. Quirky & wonderful stuff.
Dear Consular, you are so perceptive to realize that I'm a snake belly low evangelical and a paid up member of the Protestant Truth Society. http://www.protestant-truth.org/
I think I'm about to die of shock... It humbles and amazes me even more, then, that you so love your Cornish architecture, regardless of the height or lowliness of its churchmanship!
I am of course jesting! My Diocese is generally on the Anglo-Catholic/High end of the spectrum but I'm quite happy to go from moderately low to moderately high in churchmanship - surplices/copes/chasubles are all acceptable to me at HC. Theologically I'm somewhere around Laud and the Caroline Divines. My parish church is quite well rooted in the 1662 BCP.
St.Leonard's Newland, an A.C parish in England with the most beautiful marble columns and frescoes I've seen
Wow, that's some intricate Norman Revival! The open chancel rail really contrasts the Porphyry with the white colours...