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The Piscina (Latin “pond”) has come down to us as a decorated basin with a hole in the middle to the right of where the altar stood in mediaeval times in the wall beneath the canopy supported by a stone pillar. The piscina had a central drain used to dispose of surplus liquids from the communion service, reverently and securely. Great importance was attached to these drains, as is shown by the fact that a piscina was the only liturgical fitting other than the altar which was required by diocesan regulations from the thirteenth century. In some churches, such as ours, the piscina is accompanied by a credence shelf, where the bread and wine and water were placed in preparation for the service. Ours is unusual in that the credence shelf is to the right of the piscina rather than over the piscina.
The Sedilia (plural of Latin sedīle, "seat") are the seats in the south wall in the form of a stone bench. Not all churches were equipped with them. Their presence may indicate that a clerical community was attached to the church. Hacheston is not the only church where the sedilia were formed out of a lowered window sill.
The chancel also retains one of its original Early English lancet windows; the other three have later alterations (as seen above the sedilia in the middle photograph).
David Clough and Richard Ginn
May 2021