The Chancel


Chancel 1897
The original stained glass window
The east window was put in by a local benefactress Priscilla Day of Stony Stratford in 1867

The chancel's length is twenty-eight feet long and nineteen feet ten inches broad, it’s height to the top of the battlements is eighteen feet two inches.

This is the eastern end of the church or the front part from where the service is conducted. Usually an elevated platform and is usually three steps up from the Nave.

Rebuilt in 1626 by Sir Robert Banastre, further repairs and alterations were made in 1775, restored c19 and c20 coursed squared limestone, limestone dressings and lead roofs.

The line of the Medieval Chancel can be seen on the east end of the nave.

It has a four light perpendicular east window with hood mould and label stops and two light perpendicular windows to the north and south with hood moulds.


The wagon roof of the Chancel is expressed externally in rounded profile of lead roof and semi circular east gable. Finials to buttresses flanking the east end. The bay wagon roof to the chancel with carved pendant bosses. Double chamfered chancel arch with polygonal responds and moulded capitals.
Wagon roof of the Chancel

Stalls in the Chancel dated 1628 with ogee Arched panels to the west side of the stalls within the Chancel arch, possibly part of a former Rood Screen and to stall fronts with strap frieze to the south side, frieze to the north side with sea horses. Shallow scalloped round arched niches behind stalls formerly filled by effigies of the Apostles and St. Paul, of which bases inscribed with their Latin names remain.

Moulding on the North stall fronts

Stalls have miser cords with, from the north east, a mask, arms upheld by angels, an ox, male head with asses ears, a goat, head, winged cherub’s head, a lion, a cat’s head, the lamb, a female head and a griffin.

The small window on the south side of the chancel contains stained glass depicting the figures of St Peter and St Paul of 16th and 17th century date. These are probably German in origin and clearly not made for this window: presumably they were collected at a later date by some continental traveller and made to fit in.
Banastre arms and shield inscribed B/RM/1628.Hanoverian Royal arms to the central panel, painted on cast metal.

Burials in the Chancel

On slabs by the Table, which was in part remade from wood from a Table at Shoreditch Parish Church are inscriptions to:-

Sir Robert Banastre on 1649 on a black tablet on which is inscribed -
Sir Robert Banastre Kt. Borne at Wem in ye Countie of Salop,
Bred up in ye court where he served 3 Princes in places eminent.
A man prudent charitable and very industrious Hee built and beautified this faire Chauncell where his bodie is interred.
Hee
Had 3 wives and serverall children by is last one onely daught’
Married to ye Right Honourable ye Lord Maynard by whom hee had ye
Mannor Ct. Hee died ye 15 of De
cember 1649 aged about 80.


Anthony Trye, Rector 1701

Anthony Trye, Gent. Son of Anthony


Mary Pargeter 1694/5

William Leonard Mackdowall, infant 1713


On a brass plate:

Anna Pygott, wife of William Carpenter of Deanshanger

Revd. Jenkinson, Rector 1762 and his wife

R. (F?) 1769 (presumably Revd. Rd Forester who died that year, see the nave wall monument)