The Work of God

At the heart of the abbey church, the canons attended their daily services and Mass was said.

Reconstruction of the choir and presbytery as they may have appeared in the early 13th century.  In the 14th century, a large new window with elaborate tracery was inserted into the end wall (Drawing by Terry Ball) © English Heritage At one end was the choir, with the canons' wooden choir stalls set on either side.  It is difficult to know how many canons there were at Lilleshall in its heyday, though the figure is likely to have risen from a founding community of at least 13.  At the time of the suppression there were just 10 canons plus the abbot, Robert Watson.

The canons gathered in the choir seven times each day to celebrate the divine offices, the 'work of God' as it was known.  These services began with Matins, shortly after midnight, and continued through to Compline around sunset.

Mass was said in the presbytery, at the high altar, known to have been of painted wood at the time of the suppression.