162 ON AN INTERIOR WINDOW OF CHESTERFIELD CHURCH. 



the chancel. The corporation at Burford are the lineal descen- 

 dants of an old guild (as is not unfrequently the case), and this 

 transept was formerly their chapel, used as a pew for public 

 services, and having its own altar for the guild services. 



At Chesterfield there were several guilds. The oldest and 

 most important was that of the Blessed Virgin, whose chapel was 

 the Lady Chapel in the south choir aisle. But the Guild of the 

 Holy Cross, with its numerous brethren, was also a well-founded 

 body, with many influential supporters. This latter was founded 

 on the north side of the parish church of All Saints ; and we have 

 no doubt that its chapel is the one to the east of the north 

 transept, from which the heating apparatus has recently been 

 removed. Here would be the altar of the Holy Cross for the 

 celebrations of their own chaplain, and here would be the pew 

 or official seat for "the Brethren of the Guild of our Lord Jesus 

 Christ and of the Holy Cross, in the north of the church of All 

 Saints, Chesterfield " (as they are described in a patent of Henry 

 VI.), to occupy during parochial functions, with a full view, 

 across St. Catharine's choir, of the high altar.* 



The piscina niche, and the east wall in which it is placed 

 (Plate XL), are of Decorated date, and of the first half of 

 the fourteenth century ; but the piece of south walling pierced 

 with this five-light squint is a later addition, and of Perpendicular 

 design. 



On September 25th, 1393, the royal license was granted to 

 William de Horbury (clerk), to Richard Porter (vicar of Chester- 

 field), and to various laymen of note in the locality, to found the 

 Guild of the Holy Cross. This chapel, to the east of the north 

 transept, already possessing the altar of the Holy Cross, was then, 

 it would seem (or soon afterwards), rendered more private and 

 suitable for guild purposes by the building out of this wall, which 

 was then pierced with five lights for the double purpose of giving 

 full sight of the high altar, and of rendering borrowed light to the 

 somewhat dark choir-aisle of St. Catharine. The rest of the area 



* See the account of Chesterfield church in vol. i. of Churches of Derbyshire ; 

 also Mr. Pym Yeatman's Records of the Borough of Chesterfield. 



