St Mary, Staindrop, County Durham.
Piscina - St Gregory's Chapel.
The St Gregory Chapel.
600 years ago, in around 1408, this aisle was rebuilt and with it the area was dedicated to perpetual prayer by the creation of small chapels for the serving chaplains at the newly found college. All this was lost at the dissolution as the side chapels or chantries were demolished.
Since the creation and re-dedication of the St Gregory altar and chapel in 1996, this area has once again become a focus for the ongoing cycle of prayer within this church.
The Piscina (Latin “pond”) has come down to us as a decorated basin with a hole in the middle to the right of where the altar stood in medieval times in the wall beneath the canopy supported by a stone pillar. The piscina had a central drain used to dispose of surplus liquids from the communion service, reverently and securely. Great importance was attached to these drains, as is shown by the fact that a piscina was the only liturgical fitting other than the altar which was required by diocesan regulations from the thirteenth century. In some churches the piscina is accompanied by a credence shelf, where the bread and wine and water were placed in preparation for the service.
St Mary, Staindrop, County Durham, C12-C15.
Restored mid C19.
Grade l listed.
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