The Abbey Church

The church was used by the canons for their regular devotions.

The Abbey interior The abbey interior as it may have appeared in about 1530, showing the canons standing at their appointed places in the nave by Liam Wales © English Heritage The original church was laid out on cross-shaped plan in the 13th century. The far end of the building, separated from the nave by a screen, was the presbytery. This housed the high altar and the choir stalls, where the canons gathered for eight formal services, called offices, each day.

During the 15th century the presbytery was lengthened and a tower begun over the crossing. The additional weight, however, caused structural problems so a tower was built at the west end of the building instead.

On each side of the nave, circles were inscribed on the 15th century floor. They marked the positions where the canons stood at the end of the Sunday procession, when they entered the church by the west doorway and stood in two files before the nave altar.

The Abbey Church

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