Page:The Saxon Cathedral at Canterbury and The Saxon Saints Buried Therein.djvu/51

THE ROMANO-BRITISH AND SAXON CHURCH known as the "Priory of the Holy Trinity." Canon Delpiere, of the Diocese of Arras, informs me that votive masses to the Holy Trinity were permitted in the seventh century. How early I have been unable to ascertain, but if quite at the beginning, this would very strongly support the above suggestion. Another altar was set at a convenient distance in front of the High Altar, i.e. in the usual position in the chord of the apse; it was dedicated to, and was where the divine mysteries were celebrated daily.

Willis points out the venerable antiquity of the easternmost altar indicated by its rude construction, and suggests that the subsequent setting up of another altar for daily use seemed to show that the first was too sacred for ordinary priests, and that it was probably reserved for the use of the more exalted of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The fact that the High Altar, constructed in such an archaic and primitive manner and placed in such an unusual position, proves very definitely that the eastern extremity of the Saxon Church was not the addition of Archbishop Odo in the tenth century, as has sometimes been suggested, but was the original work of St. Austin himself or of his immediate successor.

The Choir of the Singers in St. Austin's Church extended from the quasi-transept or crossing of the eastern portici into the nave for three or four bays like that of St. Peter's at Rome; and like that was enclosed by a breast-high wall to separate it from the laity but without preventing their view of the ceremonies. It is also possible that there was a stone screen, formed by two marble columns making a triple arch, between the transept and its portici and the entrance to the choir, but this, though usual, is not mentioned by the historian. Edmer describes a third altar placed at the head of St. Dunstan's tomb, which he calls the ; it was on the floor of the crossing in front of the passage leading to the ambulatory of the crypt and confessio. This, with the two other altars in the Presbytery, and one in the midst of the south tower, dedicated to, made four altars in the Church; but there was yet another dedicated to the , which will now be dealt with.

It has already been noted that the Romano-British Church possessed an apse at its western end. This building, as before stated, St. Austin appears to have incorporated in his Cathedral, it becoming the west end, 21