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Rood at Sherborne, Dorsetshii'e.
Occasionally roods or crucifixes are found sculptured outside of churches, on churchyard crosses, on wayside crosses, and at the entrance of chantries and oratories. There is a much-defaced example at Sherborne Minster, in Dorsetshire. — Lee, Gloss, of Liturg. Terms, s. v.
Many churches were dedicated to the holy rood, as the abbey near Edinburgh, and at Daglingworth, Caer- inarthen, Bettws-y-Grog, Capel Christ, Southampton, Wood Eaton, Swindon, and others. The Church of SS. Vincent and Anastasius, after it received the ad- dition of a transept, was called Holy Cross, from its new shape. The rood was set before the feet of the dying, stretched on straw or ashes, emblems of mortality, and also, Beleth saj's, erected at the head of graves. — Wal- cott. Sac. A rchceol. s. v.
ROOD-ALTAR, an altar standing under the rood- screen. In large churches there were generally two, one on each side of the entrance into the choir.
ROOD-ARCH, the arch which separates the choir from the nave of a cathedral or church, under which the rood-screen and rood were anciently placed.
ROOD-BEAM, or ROOD-LOFT. The rood spo- ken of above was supported either by a beam called the rood-beam, or by a gallery called the rood-loft, over the screen separating the choir or chancel of a church from the nave. Rood-lofts do not appear to have been common in England before, if so soon as, the 14th century. They were approached from the in- side of the church, generally by a small stone staircase in the wall, which is often to be founil in churches which have lost all other traces of them. The front was frequently richly panelled, ami the under-side form- ed into a large covered cornice, or ornamented with small ribs and other decorations, connecting it with the screen below. Although most of the rood-lofts in Eiiifland have been destroyed, a considerable number
of examples (more or less perfect) remain, as at Long Sutton, Kingsbury Episcopi, Barnwell, Dunster, Tim- berscombe. Minehead, and Winsham, Somersetshire; Newark, Nottinghamshire; Charlton - on -Otmoor, and Handborough, Oxfordshire ; Merevale, Knowle, and Worm -Leighton, Warwickshire ; Flamsted, Hertford- shire ; Uffendon, Bradninch, CoUumptoii, Dartmouth, Kenton, Plymptree, and Hartland, Devon, etc. The rood-loft was occasionally placed above the chancel- arch, as at Northleach, Gloucestersliire. It sometimes extended across the first arch of the nave, as in Castle Hedingham Church, Essex. There are some very fine and rich rood-lofts in Wales, in churches which are hi other respects plain and poor. — Parker, Gloss, of Archi- tect, s. V.
ROOD-BOWL, a bowl of latten or other material, with a pricket in the centre, to hold a taper for lighting the rood-screen.
ROOD-CHAINS, those chains by which, in the case of large figures placed on or beside the rood, such figures were supported. These chains were inserted in the roof in front of the chancel arch. Remains of such chains are to be seen at Collumpton, Devonshire.
ROOD -CLOTH (or Rode -Cloth), the veil by which the large crucifix or rood, wiiich anciently stood over the chancel-screen, was covered during Lent. Its color in England was either violet or black, and it was frequently marked with a white cross. We find exam- ples of this cloth figured in mediieval illuminations. — Lee, Gloss, of Liturg. Terms, s. v.
ROOD-DOORS, the doors of the rood-screen, sepa- rating the nave from the chancel.
ROOD-GALLERY. See Rood-loft.
ROOD-GAP, the space under a chancel-arch.
ROOD-LIGHT, a light, whether from a mortar with taper or from oil-lamps or cressets, placed on or about the rood-beam. Such were kept continually burning in ancient parish churches.
ROOD-LOFT. See Rood-beam.
ROOD-MASS, a term sometimes applied (1) to the daily parish mass said in larije churches at the altar under the rood-screen ; and (2) sometimes to the mass said on Holy-cross Day, or on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
ROOD-SAINTS, images of the Virgin Mary and of John the beloved disciple, which were placed on each side of the rood.
ROOD-SCREEN, a screen separating the choir or chancel of a church from the nave. Above it was a gallery supporting the rood, and called the rood-loft. The rood-screen had no upper loft, or solar. In early times it had three doors, one facing the altar, the sec- ond fronting the gospel side, and a third the epistle side. Before it veils were dropped at the consecration. — Walcott, Sac. Archceol. s. v.
ROOD-STAIR, the staircase winding up to the rood (q. v.).
ROOD-STEEPLE, or ROOD-TOWER. This name is sometimes applied to the tower built over the inter- section of a cruciform church.
ROOD-STEPS, the steps into a choir or chancel, commonly found under or immediately before the rood- screen.
Rood, AxsoN, a Presbyterian divine, was ordained at New Haven. Conn., in 1829. He took up his residence in Philadelphia, Pa., where he died in 18.^7. He pub- lished, .1 Church MiiiiU(d for the Members of the Pres- byterian Church (Pliila. 1843, 8vo) ; several pamphlets and papers on theological subjects, temperance reform, etc.; and edited a daih' paper in Philadelphia. See Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Authors, s. v.
ROOF
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ROOF
Roof (55, gag ; oTfyrj, IMatt. viii, 8 ; Siofta, Acts x, 9). The roofs of dwelling-houses in the entire East, because of the generally dry weather, are made flat and are surrounded with a guard or railing (pp^^'O ; ote- <pdvT{. See Dent, xxii, 8, where the parapet is insisted on, and comp. Thomson, L<md mid Book, i, 48 sq. ; 2 Kings, i, 2 ; comp. Mishna, Moed Katan, i, 10 ; INIichaelis, J/o.s-. Hit. iv, 35G). Anciently only buildings intended for dis|)lay had raised roofs; such as temples (Cicero,