MILTON ABBEY

The Chancel and Reredos

Standing with one's back to the choir screen, there is a splendid view of the whole church culminating in the probably 17c East Window with the 15c reredos below.  60 feet above are the superbly simple and clean lines of the lierne vaulting, which is such a feature of this magnificent building. 

The carved reredos is made up of 26 niches, now all empty, but once held an effigy of a saint in each.  Originally, the whole edifice would have been highly painted, the remains of which can still be seen on the lowest row.  It was badly damaged, either at the Dissolution or during the Commonwealth period, and had to be restored, in plaster, by James Wyatt in 1789.

To the right of the reredos and adjacent to the arch leading to the Lady Chapel is a 14c piscina and in the arch are three 14c sedilia.  These items are thought to be the oldest parts of the Abbey.  There is now no pulpit as such, but there is a fine wooden Victorian lectern.