The Chancel is elevated above the church by a double ascent, and the ceiling, like that of both the transepts, is excellently painted, but panelled in a style somewhat similar to that of the nave, and adorned with some of the rich fret work removed from the wreck of the churches of St. Chad and St. Alkmond.
On the north side of the altar is a most beautiful triple lancet window, with arches remarkably acute, and resting on isolated columns, whose capitals are adorned with elegant foliage, &c. The window is filled with three figures in ancient stained glass.
Whilst these pages are passing through the press, a most important improvement has been effected in the chancel, by removing the altar screen, which, although a handsome Grecian design, obstructed not only much of the eastern window, but was quite out of character with the building. Another of a more appropriate description will be substituted.
The eastern window contains the truly splendid glass that adorned the chancel of old St. Chad’s, and which escaped the destruction that befel the other parts of the fabric. It was carefully removed and presented to this parish by the trustees for putting into execution the act for rebuilding the new church.
This glass, unequalled in point of beauty and colouring, represents The Genealogy of Christ, from the root of Jesse. The patriarch occupies the breadth of three bays of the window, being depicted as reclining in a deep sleep, with his head resting upon an embroidered pillow, and supported on his right hand. From his loins issues a Vine, the branches of which, before its disarrangement, overspread the whole window, inclosing within the ovals formed by its intersections a King or Prophet of the ancestry of Joseph, the series of which is finished by the husband of the Virgin Mary in a devotional posture at the feet of his progenitor.
Many of the figures are depicted with their peculiar emblems. The ground of the whole is varied and exquisitely vivid, on which the clusters of grapes and the bright verdure of the vine leaves are displayed with great effect.
Two compartments contain figures of ancient knights vested in the hawberk and bearing their square banners, and kneeling beneath foliated tabernacles. They represent Sir John Cherleton, Lord of Powis, and his son Sir Owen. From the following translation of an inscription on a part of the window,
“Pray for Monsieur John de Charlton, who caused this glazing to be made, and for Dame Hawis his companion,”
the date of its erection is ascertained to be about the middle of the fourteenth century; it was originally placed in the church of the convent of Grey Friars in this town, from whence it was removed to St. Chad’s at the Dissolution.
Many of the figures have been displaced in their change of situation; their re-arrangement, however, is now in progress, and to complete the genealogical line additional figures will be added, and the lower tier of arches in the window, formerly filled with brick-work, have been opened to their base.