noun
definition
The space around the altar in a church, often enclosed, for use by the clergy and the choir. In medieval cathedrals the chancel was usually enclosed or blocked off from the nave by an altar screen.
Examples of chancel in a Sentence
Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity church, his wife lying next to him.
He died on the 22nd of August 1818, in his 86th year, and lies buried behind the chancel of the parish church, which he had recently restored at his own charges.
His remains were interred on the following Friday in the chancel of Rugby chapel, immediately under the communion table.
There are in the chancel two freestone effigies, perhaps of the r4th century, besides three sedilia, and a piscina under arches.
Near it in Constitution Street is St James's Episcopal church (1862-1869), in the Early English style by Sir Gilbert Scott, with an apsidal chancel and a spire 160 ft.
To the north is the township of Sandiacre (pop. 2954), where the church has a fine Decorated chancel.
Both transepts contained an eastern aisle, and the chancel a square chapel at its west end on each side.
In the north aisle of the chancel there are several ancient monuments of the earls of Arundel.
It is supposed that the aisle, with Decorated window and groined roof, south of the chancel, formed the grammar school (removed from the abbey in 1751) in which Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), principal of St Mary's College, St Andrews, and James Thomson, author of The Seasons, were educated.
As well as the transepts and chancel, the 19th century work included reseating the church, and furnishing the sanctuary.
The church of St Michael has a Norman square embattled tower surmounted by a spire, and an apsidal chancel.
St Michael's, the parish church, has a striking Perpendicular tower, an arch of carved oak dividing its nave and chancel, a magnificent rood-loft, and a 13th-century monument doubtfully described as the tomb of Bracton, the famous lawyer, whose birthplace, according to local tradition, was Bratton Court in the vicinity.
The position of the ambo was not absolutely uniform; sometimes in the central point between the sanctuary and the nave, sometimes in the middle of the church, and sometimes at one or both of the sides of the chancel.
The inconvenience of having a single ambo led to the substitution of two separate ambones, between which these various functions were divided, one on the south side of the chancel being for the reading of the gospel, and one on the north for reading the epistle.
The chancel of the church at Repton is assigned to the second half of the 10th century, though subsequently altered, and the crypt beneath is supposed to be earlier still; its roof is supported by four round pillars, and it is approached by two stairways.
Other remains of pre-Conquest date are the chancel arches in the churches of Marston Montgomery and of Sawley; and the curiously carved font in Wilne church is attributed to the same period.
The 17th-century spire was removed in 1707, and replaced by a square tower, which was rebuilt in 1797; the chancel was rebuilt in 1869.
This comprises only the chancel and aisles of a building which, if entire, would rank as one of the finest parish churches in England.
This catacomb contains an unquestionable example of a church, divided into a nave and chancel, with a rude stone altar and bishop's seat behind it.
The modern stained glass in the chancel is reckoned amongst the finest in Scotland.
It is believed to be the chancel of what was intended to be a large church.
Scott in 1874, is of Early English architecture, and has some remains on one of the columns of frescoes of the same period, while the 14th-century paintings in the chancel are in better preservation.
There are various Norman fragments, including a fine early window in the chancel.
The church of St Mary the Virgin has Norman remains in the tower and chancel.
Only the chancel of the old church remains, but its red sandstone arch is a remarkably fine example of Norman work; it dates from the middle of the 12th century.
The Prospect was acquired and laid out by Kyrle, who also planted the fine elm avenues near the church; his house stands opposite the market house, where he disbursed his charities; he erected the church spire, and is buried in the chancel, where his grave remained without a monument until Pope called attention to the omission.
The church of St Mary is Norman and Early English, and has a fine chancel screen dating from the later part of the 13th century.
The parish church of St John the Baptist, with its fine tower and spire, was built about the close of the 14th century, and, though largely restored, has a beautiful chancel, Lady chapel and baptistery.
On the top of the hill on which Hippo stood, a large basilica, with chancel towards the west, dedicated to St Augustine, was opened in 1900.
In medieval architecture the term is applied on the European continent to that portion of a chancel, which, enclosed with a railing or balustrade in front of the altar, is devoted to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; this in England is generally known as the presbytery.
The chancel, nave and two side chapels exist, and it still serves as the parish church.
The church of St Mary is cruciform, with a low square tower, and is largely Early English, with some richly decorated windows in the chancel.
Although it has been restored, there remain traces of Saxon workmanship in the chancel, besides two Norman doorways, a font of the same period, a stone altar bearing five crosses and a fine 15th-century brass.
The church of All Saints has a fine Perpendicular tower, left uninjured when the nave and chancel were burned down in 1842.
He was buried in the chancel of All Hallows, Barking, whence his body was removed on the 24th of July 1663 to the chapel of St John's College, Oxford.
The chancel of the old Dominican chapel, dating from the 13th century, was restored in 1864, and is now the school chapel.
The church of St John the Baptist is a perpendicular cruciform structure, consisting of chancel, nave of seven bays, aisles, transepts and lofty western tower.
There are some 15thand 16th-century brasses, a dark cradle roof, and an early 13th-century crypt under the chancel.
Santa Maria is a fine example of Spanish Gothic, and consists, like many Catalan churches, of nave and chancel, aisles and ambulatory, without transepts.
Eastward of this cloister extend the hall and chapel of the infirmary, resembling in form and arrangement the nave and chancel of an aisled church.
The church here is of the Cistercian t e YP with a short chancel of two squares, and transepts with three eastward chapels to each, divided by solid walls (222).
It derives its name - Church (ecclesia) Island - from the little church of St Magnus, now in ruins, consisting of a chancel 15 ft.
The font is a fine specimen of the same style; and there is beautiful woodwork in the chancel.
Consisting of a chancel, clerestoried nave, and aisles, it is Early English and Perpendicular in style, and contains a beautiful 13th-century oak roof of 350 panels, each with a different design; a 15th-century pulpit of carved stone; and some interesting old monuments of the Strode, Mallet and Gournay families.
The church of St Michael is a fine example of Norman work, with certain late details, having clerestoried nave, chancel and aisles, with central and two western towers.
In the West the high altar was moved to the east end (the presbyterium) with a space before it for the assisting deacons and subdeacons (the chancel proper) railed off as a spot peculiarly holy (now usually called the sanctuary); between this and the nave, where the laity were, was the choir, with seats for the clergy on either side.
The whole of this space (sanctuary and choir) came to be known as the " chancel."
This was divided from the nave, sometimes by an arch forming part of the structure of the building, sometimes by a screen, or by steps, sometimes by all three (see Chancel).
The division of churches into chancel and nave, the outcome of the sacramental and sacerdotal spirit of the Catholic Church,' may be taken as generally typical of church construction in the medieval West, though there were exceptions, e.g.
Finally, for the convenience of processions, the nave and chancel aisles were carried round behind the high altar as ambulatories.