Christianity in Saxon England |
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There were no seats - people stood in church. The church service would have been a mass similar to that in the Catholic church today - except that it would have been in Latin. Only the sermon would have been in English. The Priest would have stood at the altar at the front. You can also see a niche in the wall. This is a small, carved basin with a drain called a piscina. It was used by the Priest for the ritual washing of the chalice and paten. |
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The church building was surrounded by a graveyard. Yew trees were often planted in graveyards because their poisonous berries stopped people from grazing their animals on its consecrated ground. |
| A church and congregation would be cared for by a Priest, just as today. In Saxon times monasteries were also very important, and the Christian faith was often spread by travelling monks. These early evangelists were often interesting characters. |
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Look at the story of St Aldhelm. |
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Monasteries were also places of learning where books were written and libraries kept. King Alfred's biography was written by a monk called Asser. The Venerable Bede (673 - 735), who was a monk, wrote a very famous history of England. |
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A convent of nuns was started in Romsey in 907 CE. There was a monastery of monks nearby. This Saxon rood (crucifix) is above an altar in Romsey Abbey. It still reminds people today of the death of Jesus, as it did when it was first carved. |
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Go to 'Think About Christianity in Saxon England' |