The rise from the choir to the eastern bay containing the altar is of four steps.[29] The tiles in the presbytery are excellent examples of fifteenth-century encaustics in the usual red-brown and yellow, set diagonally. Some are, of course, modern, and these are good copies of the old ones, which are decorated with the arms of Edward III., the Berkeley and Beauchamp families, and the Tudor rose. Near the sedilia are some ancient bordering tiles. From the continual repetition of the Berkeley arms Freeman traces these encaustics to the celebrated Malvern factory.[30]
On the second step of the presbytery, and at about its centre, is a squared mortice. This may have received the stem of the reader’s lectern, which was distinct from those often found in the nave. It may possibly have received even the processional cross or the cross which Alcuin tells us was placed in this position on Good Friday to be kissed by both the clerics and the laity.
The altar slab of grey sandstone and its supports of oak are new. These are kept clear of the east wall, as there is a peculiar opening into Bishop Vaughan’s Chapel just behind. A description of this will be found on p. 62. On the floor near the altar and behind it are placed sundry altar slabs brought from disused altars. One of these (to the south), being only 14¾ inches by 9 inches, is let into a larger stone. It is marked with the usual quintette of crosses and seems to be a picked piece of Caerfai stone in fine state, from which we may infer that it probably was used as an “altare portabile.” In the history of St. David we read of one of these altar stones which was presented to him by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. King suggests[31] that this stone may have been a “seal” for a reliquary or receptacle for altar relics, and if so, this one and
[Illustration: THE PARCLOSE SCREEN, E. SIDE.]
that recently unearthed in the Jesus Chapel of Norwich Cathedral are the only known ones extant.
The woodwork in the choir has many points of interest, notably the =Parclose Screen=, which is unique. It divides the presbytery and choir, and serves to emphasise the ancient three-fold ritual arrangement of nave, choir, and presbytery. Freeman considers the position of this screen very remarkable “in this country at least,” and the only churches with analogous indications that he can instance are Malmesbury and Dorchester. These divisions were usually well marked in large churches, but not with an actual screen. In the middle of the fourteenth century the parclose seems to have been moved to make room for Bishop Morgan’s throne, but as it always occupied a corresponding position, it is not unlikely that we here find a very ancient tradition in the church of St. David’s.