st alphege

A rare and unspoilt medieval chapel. With the Chantry Chapel above, it is an undercroft with a stone rib-vault which springs from finely carved corbels similar to those in the chancel. The two-storey arrangement of these chapels is very rare. Little has changed since 1277 when this was the chantry priest's chamber and his chapel.

He was fortunate to have a degree of security and comfort not given to many. The ancient door could be secured by a draw-bar, shutter hinges still exist in the jambs of the windows and in the west wall is a fireplace, a very unusual feature in a church.

The most remarkable survival is the original altar. As was obligatory in all medieval churches the mensa or upper surface of the altar is a single slab of stone on which five crosses are carved - at each corner and in the centre - symbolising Christ's wounds. Visible on its front edge is an altar sepulchre in which, by tradition, were sealed small fragments of some holy relic. In the north side of the altar is an aumbry or cupboard in which sacred vessels were kept.

Another unusual feature is the use in the altar steps of slabs of cannel coal. This is a hard bituminous coal which polishes readily. They were formerly in the high altar steps but their origin and significance has not been explained. The windows portray St. Alphege, St. Francis and St. Clare, both of Assisi, and St. Thomas à Becket.

The medieval altar is a rare survival.

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ST ALPHEGE

Sundays

8.00am Holy Eucharist (said)

9.15am Parish Eucharist & Sunday Club (2nd Sunday : All-age Eucharist)

Plus on 4th Sunday 'easy' in OBH rejoining Parish Eucharist at communion

11.00am Sung Eucharist

(traditional language)

6.30pm (except 4th Sunday)

Choral Evensong

6.30pm (4th Sunday)

Congregational Evensong

Plus at 6.00pm (1st Sunday)

‘the space’ – informal parish worship

(in the Oliver Bird Hall)

Weekday Eucharists

Monday 9.30am

Tuesday 9.30am

Wednesday 10.15am

Thursday 10.30am

  1st in month - Healing

  3rd in month - Mothers' Union

  Corporate Eucharist

Saturday 9.30am

Daily Morning Prayer

Mon-Sat 9.00am

(Wednesday 8.30am in term time)

ST HELEN

Sundays

8.00am Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer)

10.00am Parish Eucharist and Sunday Club 3rd Sunday : All-age worship (non-eucharistic)

6.30pm Evening Worship in Chapel

6.30pm (2nd Sunday) Wholeness and Healing service in Chapel.

Weekday Eucharist

Friday 10.00am

ST MICHAEL

Sundays

10.30am Holy Eucharist and Sunday Club (Sharmans Cross School)

10.30am (2nd Sunday) All-age worship (Sharmans Cross School).

4.30pm (2nd Sunday) Holy Communion (St Michael's Chapel).

Weekday Eucharist

Wednesday 10.00am at Oak Cottage