st alphege
church tour
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.
st francis
Chapel
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.
OUR REGULAR SERVICES
ST ALPHEGE
Sundays
8.00am Holy Eucharist (said)
9.15am Parish Eucharist in church
'The Junction' in the Oliver Bird Hall
joining Parish Eucharist at communion
2nd Sunday: All-age Eucharist in church
11.00am Sung Eucharist
(using traditional language)
6.30pm Choral Evensong
4th Sunday: Congregational Evensong
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)
10am Parish Eucharist & Sunday Club 3rd Sunday: All-age worship
(No eucharist)
6.30pm Evening Worship in Chapel
2nd Sunday: Wholeness and Healing
in Chapel
Weekday Eucharist
Friday 10.00am
ST MICHAEL
Sundays
10.30am Holy Eucharist & Sunday Club (Sharmans Cross Junior School)
2nd Sunday: All-age worship
4.30pm 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion (St Michael's Chapel, Bryanston Road)
Weekday Eucharist
Wednesday 10.00am
(St Michael's Chapel, Bryanston Road)
You are viewing the text version of this site.
To view the full version please install the Adobe Flash Player and ensure your web browser has JavaScript enabled.
Need help? check the requirements page.
