Church Layout.

Chimp

Chimp

Moderator & Cheeky Human IMP
Staff member
I visit our church quite often, doing research. I've found records of rebuilding the church in the 1870's. In the 1890's the Chancel was rebuilt.

I'm a little ignorent when it comes to the design and layout of a church.

I know what the isles are, but not sure about a couple of other places:-

Where is and what is housed in the Chancel?

Where is the Nave?

The big man upstairs is probably :rolleyes: as I type :oops:
 
The nave is the main body of the church, where the pews are. The chancel is at the top end, leading up to the alter. :)
 
The nave is where the congregation are
The chancel or sanctuary is where the religious bit goes on with the pulpit and the altar etc.
 
Thank you very much. I need to get pictures but didn't know what to photgraph.

Chancel - where the Altar is (our pulpit is outside the chancel and at the front of the nave) there are steps leading up into the chancel. This is where the organ is also situated.

It looks like the only original part of our church is the bell tower.
 
Chimp said:
It looks like the only original part of our church is the bell tower.
Click to expand...

I didn't realise that our local church had been rebuilt three times over the years.

It's such a shame that churches are mostly locked nowadays. Sign of the times, of course. I love exploring old churches when I'm on my travels - the joy when I turn an old rusty handle and the door creaks open!
 
I hate the locked door syndrome too, BH, but then I'm not at all fussed about what's happened to so many Catholic Churches since that incredibly (to me destructive) Vatican Council so frankly I don't think they've lost or gained anything (except security) by locking up. Removal of worship and adoration and replacement by the lowest common denominator and impersonalisation, really leave me cold. Warmth and welcome seem missing now from so many houses of worship. Sad, sad, sad.
 
Philippa said:
What denomination, Chimp? If you google "traditional layout of a XXX Church" you'll probably find diagrammatic illustrations of what you're looking for.
Click to expand...
Church of England.

I've only just found out what a reredos or raredos is - it's an altarpiece, or a screen or decoration behind the altar in a church, usually depicting religious iconography or images.

The whole of our chancel is covered in it. Looks like religious images on wallpaper.
 
Wonder why they buried it?

FONT - On the practically complete rebuilding of the church at Knighton in the year 1877, the font hitherto in existence was replaced by a modern one, the ancient one being buried in a neighbouring field. In 1911 it was removed and was put in the care of the Rev. D Edmondes Owen, rector of Llandingad, Carmarthenshire. The font is octagonal in shape, and of the ordinary type of the late 14th centuary. The font can now be found in Llanelwedd churchyard. Powys

upload_2016-5-14_10-20-48.png
 
I spent-unintentionally- quite some time today researching St.Olave Church in Bermondsey/Southwark due to Family Baptisms from 1770s, & my Legacy dfile meandering between Southwark, Bermondsey & St. John Horselydown or variations of such. Lot's of merging & deleting later I think I have them all in the right Church, but still worry as due to dates & county changes records ARE different.
All this to do before I can get them all into Family Historian, but never did think it would be easy.:rolleyes: One of the towers remaining after this Church was demolished is now a drinking fountain in the area.
Good luck with yours Chimp, your education is going ahead in leaps & baptismal fonts. :D
 
Don't know if this is of any use, Chimp (too much stuff going on, too tired to evaluate) but have a look at this (hopefully it will work, having another of the "brain dumb" episodes at the moment) :)

https:// books.google.com.au/books?id=DPMb7NSaTBMC&pg=RA5-PT159&lpg=RA5-PT159&dq=traditional+layout+of+a+church+of+england&source=bl&ots=z3K9IubIzL&sig=7C7azsF69Tcaq9Yq6gLQddG9AE8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiv_e_5o9nMAhWJQpQKHRO6AMIQ6AEIMzAE#v=onepage&q=traditional%20layout%20of%20a%20church%20of%20england&f=false
 
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