medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Perhaps I am not getting something but isn't this discussion
getting a bit, well, overblown?
All Christian churches & Chapels (of the pre Reformation sort)
were normally orientated with the High Altar at the East end
because a) that is the direction of Jerusalem and b) that is the
direction from where Christ will appear on the Last Day.
Some Protestant Churches, especially urban ones, dropped this as a
"Romish superstition" but the rule still holds good today (In the
RC and Anglican churches at least.) Indeed, if for technical
reasons a church is built on a different axis, the end behind the
High Altar is known as "the liturgical east". Graveyards often
started out on the north side of a church because that was the
least honourable side - it was also the one that was most exposed
to bad weather....)
Yes, there are exceptions to this rule in both parish churches and
conventual buildings. I think there is a priory not far from
Richmond in Yorkshire on a very awkward side below a steep cliff
and beside a deep river where the limited terrain dictated how the
church was oriented.
But the E/W orientation of a Christian Church is normal and for
the reasons cited above. Anyone spying out the land for a new
foundation either monastic or secular would take this into
consideration as well as the water supply and the best route for
transporting timber and stone.
Am I stating the obvious?
Brenda.
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