A Dictionary of words that you may come across on this website :
altar | boss | cloister | coat of arms | communion table | corbel | IHS | Medieval | Middle Ages | Quire | Rood | Rood Screen | Transepts
In the ancient world an altar was a place where a sacrifice was made.
In a church the altar is the place where the priest, vicar or minister conducts the service and where communion is given.
A boss is a decorative knob, usually covering the part of the roof where the ribs cross. You can see this in the photograph below. The 'ribs' that support the roof come in from different directions and the boss covers that area where they meet.
In a monastery the cloister was a covered walking area that monks would walk and pray in. The one below is from Battle Abbey in Sussex.
In the Middle Ages a
warrior wore a coat of arms so that he could be recognised on the battlefiled.
Since armour or coat of mail was worn, there was no difficulty in working
out who was a friend or foe even at some distance, for each man bore a
shield of a unique design.
In a church the communion tableis the place where the priest, vicar or minister conducts the service and where communion is given.
A corbel is a stone projection from a wall that supports a weight. It is normally part of the roof system.
The letters “I H S” are a symbol for the name of Jesus. In Greek, the first three letters of our Jesus name are “ihv,” which in English is “ihs.” Throughout the ages this has become a symbol for Jesus.
A kirk is simply another name for a church in Scotland.
Medieval or Middle Ages usually refers to the years 1066 to 1485 in England or the 11th to the 15th centuries.
The Quire or Choir is the part of a church where services were sung, containing the choir-stalls. You can see these at the far end of the church in the photograph.
The rector was the priest or minister in charge of the church and the parish. It was to him that a tithe (a tax for the upkeep of the church) was paid.
A great cross, or crucifix, placed on the rood-beam or rood-screen in the chancel of the church.
A screen below a crucifix or cross, usually at the west end of a church, so called because it normally had a rood or crucifix on it.
Usually the part of a church that crosses over a cross-shaped church in a north-south direction.
