At the east end of the south aisle, you’ll see a timber partition with organ pipes above it. This is the organ screen, and it hides one of the biggest church organs in the county. The original organ was built by John Nicholson in 1859 but it has been added to over the years. It originally sat the other side of the church but was moved in the 1950s and now occupies a room of its own! The open screen over the top was carved by Robert Panchieri in 1969, one of several pieces by Panchieri and his father Celestino Panchieri in this and other local churches.

This spot was originally a Lady Chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. We know it had an altar because the mediaeval piscina is still in place. A piscina – literally a fish pool! – is a little stone basin in an arched recess, used to wash up the communion cup and plate. You can see it just to the right of the wooden screen.

Now let’s take a look at the chancel.