Rood screen
The
Rood screen was a common feature in late
medieval church architecture, dividing the
chancel from the
nave. It was often surmounted by a loft (called the
Rood Loft) on which stood the
Rood itself, a large figure of the
crucified Christ, set high up, usually level with the springing of the chancel
arch. Sometimes the rood loft was also substantial enough to be used as a singing gallery; access was via a rood stair. Often, to either side of the Rood, there stood supporting statues of
saints, such as
St. Mary and
St. John. The word rood is derived from the
Saxon word ‘rode', meaning a cross.
Rood screens are not unique to Britain; they can be found in churches in many parts of Europe: the German word for one is
lettner; the French,
jubé; the Dutch,
doksaal.
The earliest known example of a Rood screen in Britain, dating back to the
13th century, is to be found at
Stanton Harcourt,
Oxfordshire. The majority date back to the
15th century, such as those at
Trull,
Somerset and
Attleborough,
Norfolk. Many
East Anglian wooden screens retain their original decoration; the quality of the painting and
gilding is, some of it, of a very high order, notably those from the
Ranworth school of painters: notable examples can be found in
Southwold and
Blythburgh as well as at Ranworth itself. The magnificent painted screen at
Barton Turf is unique in giving an unusually complete view of the heavenly hierarchy, including nine orders of angels.
Nikolaus Pevsner also identified the early 16th century painted screen at
Bridford,
Devon as being notable.
|
The Rood on a rood screen: a crucifix on the elaborate 16th-century jubé in the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris |
The rood screen was a physical and symbolic barrier, separating the
sanctuary, the domain of the priesthood, from the nave where ordinary people gathered to worship. It was also a means of seeing; often it was solid only to waist height and richly decorated with pictures of saints and
angels. Concealment and revelation were part of the mediaeval
Mass. When kneeling, the congregation could not see the priest, but might do so through the upper part of the screen, when he elevated the
Host on Sundays. In some churches, 'squints' (holes in the screen) would ensure that everyone could see the elevation, as what was significant to the largely illiterate congregation was seeing
the bread made flesh. Moreover, while Sunday Masses were very important, there were also weekday services which were taken from in front of the screen which thus became the backdrop to the celebration of the Mass. This would take place at what was called a "Jesus altar", erected for the worship of the
Holy Name, a popular dedication in mediaeval times.
The
Rood itself provided a focus for worship, most especially in
Holy Week, when worship was highly elaborate. During
Lent the Rood was veiled; on
Palm Sunday it was revealed before the procession of palms and the congregation knelt before it. The whole
Passion story would then be read from the Rood loft, at the foot of the
crucifix by three priests.
|
Remnants of the old jube of St. Remigius Church, Ingelheim |
At the
Reformation, one of the major targets of the Reformers were
abused images i.e. statues and paintings which were the focus of adoration or worship. Thus not a single mediaeval Rood survives in Britain. They were removed as a result of the 1547 Injunctions of
Edward VI, (some to be restored when
Mary came to the throne and removed again under
Elizabeth). Of Rood lofts, which were held to be a reminder of the supposed superstitious worship, very few are left, two surviving (and very beautiful) examples in Wales being at the ancient churches in
Llanengan and
Llanegryn. Rood screens remain in some numbers but most were defaced. (The word 'deface' derives from the fact that it was the faces of the figures that were scratched out, usually crudely and with the apparent intention of leaving a visual reminder of the
iconoclastic attitude of the defacers.) Hundreds of screens were removed altogether; today, in many British churches, the
rood stair (which had given access to the rood loft) is often the only remaining trace of the former rood loft and screen.
In many places, under the influence of the
Tractarians in the 19th century, Roods have been restored, though often without screens. A notably complete restoration can be seen at Eye, Suffolk, where the rood screen dates from 1480. Its missing rood loft was reconstructed by Sir
Ninian Comper in 1925, complete with a Rood and figures of saints and angels, and gives a good impression of how a full rood group would have appeared in a mediaeval English church.
Duffy, Eamon,
The Stripping of the Altars (Yale 1992)
*
Norfolkchurches.co.uk/screens Painted screens in Norfolk churches.
*
Norfolkchurches.co.uk/norfolkroods More about the painted rood screens of East Anglia.
*
Iconostasis - a wall of
icons and religious paintings serving a rather different role in
Eastern Christianity.
