19: Rood screen

What are they

The church has much wood panelling and decoration.

Rood screen – This is lacey wooden partition.  Its purpose was a physical and symbolic barrier, separating the chancel, the domain of the clergy, from the nave where lay people gathered to worship

What architectural interest

The rood screen was initially designed as a barrier between the sanctuary and the body of the church.  It was where the step and railing for communion are now.  The St Mark’s rood screen came late to the church being installed in the late 1930’s

It was moved to the back of the church in the 1970s when the church was renovated.  The decision to move the rood screen reinforced the idea of a more open approach to mass and a closer relationship between the priest and congregation

St Marks originally had a chapel at the back of the church where the St Francis window is and it was open on the other side.  When the rood screen was moved the chapel was taken out. This opened up the church.

Why is wood important

Wood is warm and glows when well looked after.  Wood helps to provide a sense of warmth and welcome to a church.

Why do so many churches have wood embellishment.  

The church had to partition off parts of the church to delineate roles and responsibilities of those who entered.  Initially the sanctuary was screened off and protected from the congregation by the erection of rood screens - ornate partitions between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron

The rood screen would originally have been surmounted by a rood loft carrying the Great Rood, a sculptural representation of the Crucifixion The rood screen is so called because it was surmounted by the Rood itself, a large figure of the crucified Christ

The rood screen of St Marks has moderately ornate open tracery and a cross

Memories of a Parishioner

In the early 1970s a Parishioner was married at St Marks on a Friday night.  It was a last minute arrangement as the reception venue had had to be changed.  The groom and best man were engineers.

As the groom and best man arrived, the church was lit only by candles.  It looked totally amazing with the candles lighting up the rood screen.  It was romantic and all that could be desired for a memorable wedding.  The 2 engineers were very pleased.

The Rev Marshall Wood was not.  He was terribly concerned that a wedding needed lights.  He worked tirelessly to get the lights back on.  Three minutes before the bride arrived the candles were snuffed and the lights were on – what an opportunity missed.