On Low Side Windows

The Location of Low Side Windows in Relation to Roman Liturgical Practice of the Middle Ages.

All of the earlier writers on the subject of low side windows pointed out that their usual location was at the western end of the chancel. However, as far as can be established, few seem to have enquired as to why that is the case. One notable exception is Philip Mainwaring Johnston, who discusses with some authority from correspondence with some well-regarded ecclesiologists. In his 1898/99 articles on Low Side Windows of Sussex Churches he states:

Mr Johnston goes on to suggest that hagioscopes or squints, tunnelled between the nave and the chancel could also have been used for auricular confession. Quoting Mr J. L. André, Mr Johnston provides further evidence that this practice was standard:

Externally, except perhaps for the curious window shoe-horned into the fabric of the building at the junction of the chancel and east end of the south aisle Sandridge, Hertfordshire. A low side window at the very junction of the nave and chancel, and hard up against the corner of the south aisle. This opening is tunnelled obliquely through the junction, and, unusually, opens internally to the nave side of the stone rood screen. , St Leonard's Church in Sandridge, Hertfordshire is unremarkable.

Internally, however, it is the late 14th century stone chancel screen which catches the eye. This curious structure with its thick walls, wide central door and pair of triplet ogee headed lancets either side is said to be unique in Hertfordshire. Above the doorway are another pair of lights, shorter but as well crafted. These are surmounted with a blind arch constructed from Roman bricks. Above this arch there is an elaborate heavy traceried wooden screen which reaches to the roof. The latter is modern; the wall above the screen was originally filled in.³ Just inside the doorway to the chancel there are two curious recumbent figures carved into stone bench-ends. (Click on the image left to start a slide show). These seem to depict, on the south side, a bearded monk or friar, and on the north side a woman. There is some speculation that these figures are confessor and penitent. The church was heavily restored by William White in 1886-7.

The curious window mentioned above is installed at an angle of 45 degree, and has a wide internal splay which opens into the nave. Quite what this window was for is a mystery, but it was clearly meant for someone to be able to look into or out of the church. But at what? Externally the window is a little too high to qualify as a low side window, however, the ground level was significantly higher in the past as can be seen in another image on the Hertfordshire Genealogy website (the churchyard was levelled in 1888).⁶ It is possible that a screen of stone or wood was in place prior to the building of the current one, and was further west, so that the aperture opened into the chancel. Were the sculptures which appear to represent confession added as an apology for having made the side window look into the nave rather than the chancel? It is hard to say. Some suggest the brick arch was part of the original 12th century edifice (see sign board outside the church). These features at St Leonard's, Sandridge, are discussed further in the entry for the Percy Bacon window in the church.

It is clear that the location of low side windows was inextricably linked to their liturgical function. This is the case for many features of pre-reformation church architecture. If the location of the low side window in a church was not important, it could have been installed anywhere in an outer wall where space permitted. If, during an epidemic, confession could be heard through any window (or door) in any part of the church low enough for penitent and priest to conveniently converse, then any extant opening meeting that criteria could have been pressed into service, or a new opening created in an existing window by the simple addition of a casement. However, despite many churches having 13th and 14th century chancels with windows low enough to have been used for the purpose of confession, ringing of the Sanctus bell, or any other of the theories for their existence, it was still deemed necessary to introduce a new opening in the chancel wall as close to the western end of the chancel as possible. For example, at St Mary’s, Raydon, Suffolk, St Mary, Raydon, Norfolk. Despite the large chancel windows being low enough to have been modified with the addition of an opening casement at the base and used for confession, or the ringing of a bell, a new and elaborate low side window has been installed close to the western end of the chancel.
the large windows on the south side of both nave and chancel are low enough to have been used for the purpose of any of the theories mentioned, and yet elaborate low side windows have been installed in the north and south walls close to the western end of the chancel.

F. T. S. Houghton in his comprehensive early 20th century survey of extant low side windows in Warwickshire churches takes some pains to classify the physical configuration of the windows using the following criteria: Independent openings, low-silled single lancets, low-silled two or three-light windows, and two-light windows where only one of the lights was modified (which he termed "Ladbroke type").⁴ These he sub-categorised according to their shape, whether transomed or not transomed. In itself, classification of windows on the basis of their dimensions or physical characteristics is not especially useful, other than perhaps for dating purposes. Of significantly greater importance when considering the primary function of a low side window, is their position in the church. This is especially important where an extant (pre-existing) chancel window has been modified to create a low opening.

There are a number of examples which provide further evidence to support the theory that low side windows were used primarily for confession, and that it was of paramount importance to place the window as close as possible to the "normal" location for hearing that confession in the medieval church (i.e. at the junction of the nave and chancel).⁵ Where a pre-existing window was close to the western end of the chancel, whether in the north or south wall, these will be seen to have been lowered to form a low side window. Many two-light windows which were deemed close enough to the western end of the chancel to meet the requirements of the liturgical practice for confession were lowered by the addition of a transom and mullion such as at St Mary's Ardley, Oxfordshire St Mary, Ardley, Oxfordshire. A two-light window in the south of the chancel has been lowered and provided with a transom and mullion (now blocked).
St Mary, Ardley, Oxfordshire. A two-light window in the south of the chancel has been lowered and provided with a transom and mullion (now blocked). St Mary, Ardley, Oxfordshire. Internally the wall below the wall below the original window sill has been lower. and St Andrew's, Collyweston, Northamptonshire. St Andrew's, Collyweston, Northamptonshire. 2-light low side window in the south wall of the chancel. St Andrew's, Collyweston, Northamptonshire. 2-light low side window in the south wall of the chancel. In some instances only one of the lights of a two-light window was lowered. In these cases it is almost always the westernmost light that is modified: e.g. All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire, All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire. On the north side of the chancel only the westernmost light has been extended lower by the addition of a transom. The building to the left housing a boiler is modern.
All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire. All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire. Internally only the wall below the westernmost light has been lowered. All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire. Internally only the wall below the westernmost light has been lowered. The transom has clearly been restored, but the rebate for the wooden shutter can clearly be seen. St Mary Magdalene Wardington, Oxfordshire, St Mary Magdalene Wardington, Oxfordshire. On the north side of the chancel only the westernmost light has been extended lower by the addition of a transom, or perhaps utilising the original sill which appears restored.
St Mary Magdalene Wardington, Oxfordshire. St Mary Magdalene Wardington, Oxfordshire. Internally the whole wall below the original has been lowered. Wooden shutter (modern) in situ. St Andrew's, Barton Bendish, Norfolk, St Andrew’s, Barton Bendish, Norfolk. On the south side of the chancel a low side window has been installed directly below the original sill of the westernmost light.
St Andrew’s, Barton Bendish, Norfolk. and Holy Trinity, Scoulton, Norfolk., to mention just a few.^FN1 Holy Trinity, Scoulton, Norfolk. On the south side of the chancel a low side window has been installed directly below the original sill of the westernmost light.
Holy Trinity, Scoulton, Norfolk with wooden shutter still in situ Holy Trinity, Scoulton, Norfolk. Internal view. A variation of this methodology can be seen at St Giles, Wigginton, Oxfordshire. St Giles, Wigginton, Oxfordshire. On the south side of the chancel a low side window has been formed in the westernmost light by the addition of a transom to form a square opening.
St Giles, Wigginton, Oxfordshire. St Giles, Wigginton, Oxfordshire. North wall of chancel. St Giles, Wigginton, Oxfordshire. Low side window in the north wall of the chancel. Here the whole of the two light windows in both the north and south walls of the chancel is lower than the other windows, and in both cases the westernmost light has been fitted with a transom to form a low square opening suitable for the placement of a wooden shutter.

All the above examples clearly indicate the importance of the position of low side windows. In order to fulfil its liturgical function as a confessional, it needed to be as close to the western end of the chancel as possible. Examining other examples, it is also clear that some windows were deemed close enough to that location to be modified for confessional use. Others were clearly deemed too far from the western end of the chancel, or too high to be modified, and in these cases we see independent openings being installed.

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A New Classification for Low Side Windows.

With all this in mind, and ignoring specifics of their shape, size, complexity, or ornamentation, low side windows can be simply categorised as follows:

1. Independent openings: No pre-existing chancel windows deemed close enough to its western end to be modified. In this case a new opening is formed at a suitable height to act as a confessional. For example: St Peter & St Paul, Courteenhall, Northamptonshire. St Peter & St Paul, Courteenhall, Northamptonshire. South side. Independent low side window installed close to the junction of chancel and nave.
   St Peter & St Paul, Courteenhall, Northamptonshire. South side.
2. Independent openings: A pre-existing chancel window deemed close enough to its western end, but too high to be used as a confessional. In this category a new opening is formed lower down. For example: St John the Baptist, Blisworth, Northamptonshire. St John the Baptist, Blisworth, Northamptonshire. South side. Independent low side window installed close to the junction of chancel and nave.
   St John the Baptist, Blisworth, Northamptonshire. South side. Internal view. St John the Baptist, Blisworth, Northamptonshire. North side. St John the Baptist, Blisworth, Northamptonshire. North side.
3. Modified openings: A pre-existing chancel window deemed close enough to its western end, but too high to function as a confessional. These are modified by lowering the existing opening, either using the original sill to function as the new opening's lintel, for example; St Peter, Fakenham Magna, Suffolk, and St Peter's, Fakenham Magna, Suffolk. The low side window has been formed below the original window utilising its sill as the new opening's lintel. All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire, or adding a transom. All Saints, Ladbroke, Warwickshire. The low side window has been formed below the original window utilising the sill of the most westerly of the 2-light window as the new opening's lintel.
4. Modified openings: A pre-existing window is both close enough and low enough to the western end of the chancel to be used for confessional purposes, and is modified by simply inserting a casement at its base.

Quite how close a pre-existing window needs to be to the western end of the chancel to be deemed suitable to be modified for confessional purposes is moot. The same question may be asked, "How high is too high"? In some cases such as at St James's, Hockwold cum Wilton, Norfolk St James's, Hockwold cum Wilton, Norfolk. The original c14 Decorated window would have been too high and not close enough to the western end of the chancel to fulfil the liturgical location for a confessional window.
, it might be argued that the chancel windows were both too high and not close enough to its western end, therefore requiring an independent opening. There is also the questions of the economics and the magnitude of the structural changes that would be required. In a great many cases it may have been the haste required to furnish a church with a confessional window which dictated the final arrangement. Much more data will be required to assess whether there were any universal criteria, or whether it was left to the discretion of the incumbent, or patron.

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1. There is an unusual exception to the norm at Horsham St Faith, Norfolk. St Mary & St Andrew, Horsham-st-Faith, Norfolk. In this rare exception, the central light of the c14 3-light window at the western end of the chancel has been lowered to create a low side window. Note the much restored bell cote on the eastern end of the nave. St Mary & St Andrew, Horsham-st-Faith, Norfolk. In this rare exception, the central light of the c14 3-light window at the western end of the chancel has been lowered to create a low side window. St Mary & St Andrew, Horsham-st-Faith, Norfolk. Internal view. The rebate for the low window shutter is still visible. Note the squint into the nave which may also have been used for oricular confession. St Mary & St Andrew, Horsham-st-Faith, Norfolk. Squnit detail. Note the curious curve on the opening which would have made viewing the high altar from the nave (a common notion for the existence of squints) a little difficult. Here the middle light of the three-light window at the west end of the chancel has been lowered to form a low side window, rather than the westernmost light. St Michael's Church, Great Cressingham, Norfolk, has four large Decorated windows on the south side of the chancel. Here the blocked low side window occurs beneath the 2nd window from the west end of the chancel, rather than the westernmost..

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1. Johnston, P. M. Low Side Windows in Sussex Churches: Sussex archaeological collections relating to the history and antiquities of the county. Vol XLI, 1898. p194.
2. Ibid. p195. See also J. L. André; Medieval Confessionals in England; The Reliquary, January 1884, p129.
3. Historic England Official List Entry for St Leonard's Sandridge. The entry suggests that the reclining figures are of donors. However, it is clear that the one on the south side is a monk or friar (Sandridge belonged to the Abbey at St Albans until the reformation). For further information about the chancel arch in St Leonards, see the entry on this site covering the Percy Bacon Glass.
4. Houghton, F. T. S. The Low Side Windows of Warwickshire Churches - A paper read to the Birmingham Archaeological Society 21 March 1906.
5. Confessional booths as we know them today which are generally placed in the nave of catholic churches did not appear until the 16th century.
6. Kelly's Directory, 1888. Description of Sandridge Church.