Abbey Church Of The Holy Cross

Small section of medieval north aisle to west of porch, with two three-light Decorated windows and narrow round-arched doorway.

Two storey porch largely Perpendicular, possibly incorporating earlier structure: the cylindrical responds are apparently C12, though the rest of the doorway is late medieval, with square moulded outer archway with quatrefoil spandrels.

Enriched timber door dated 1640.

The windows are late Decorated and inserted, and the three cross gables of the roof are probably C15 or C16, replacing the original lean-to oof over the aisle.

South side follows the same general scheme as north, the westernmost bays later medieval and restored, the easternmost C11 or C12 with modifications by Pearson according to the same design as the north wall.

South doorway incorporates responds with cushion capitals from a C12 door, but has been restored.

INTERIOR: substantial remains of original building visible, showing evidence of three principal building phases: original C11-C12 phase, extended westward in C13 or C14, and extensively restored in later C19.

Western bays largely the result of C13-C14 work: high tower arch with clustered shafts to responds.

Wide buttressed pier, then three bays of Norman work, with simple double-ring round arches carried on massive cylindrical shafts.

FITTINGS: many of the furnishings date from the Restoration, including the pulpit and the font canopy, and the altar piece,a triptych with hinged traceried panels.

STAINED GLASS: in east window also later C19, in a medieval idiom.

Armorial glass in west window, and collage of fragments in clerestory earlier, though probably re-assembled.

MEMORIALS: series of tombs reflect the long history of the building, including worn effigy of Roger de Montgomery its founder, and the recumbent figure of a priest in the south aisle, and three monuments in the west end of the north aisle, showing the development of style in three pairs of recumbent figures on bases, dated 1544, 1571

There is also a long series of wall tablets, spanning from the mid C17 to the early C19.

In the north aisle, the remains of the C14 shrine of St Winefred, which were erected here in 1933, and comprise two sections of wall with traceried panels and some figures of saints in niches.