The Credence Table

Extract from Thomas Bruce Dilks, The Story of Bridgwater Parish Church (1938), pages 20-23.

The second discovery [of interest to the antiquarian, after the chancel ceiling bosses] was made in the [Wembdon Road] Cemetery Chapel. A desk, which had been relegated there many years ago, has been found to be of very early date, possibly of the latter end of the fourteenth century. The eight sides are carved tracery of the Decorated style. What the original use of this lantern-shaped piece of church furniture was is a moot question. It may have been suspended to the roof with the pyx tabernacle hanging from it, or it may have formed the lower portion of a lectern. The considerable bulk of the base favours the latter guess, the carving under the base suggests the former. It is now used as a credence table and stands in the sanctury.

Photographs kindly supplied by Richard Philpott. 17 March 2018