rood stair

A rood stair is a stairway that leads to a rood loft. The rood loft, in turn, was a gallery above a rood screen. Rood screens were architectural elements in Western churches from the Middle Ages to the early Renaissance, separating the choir or chancel from the nave. The term "rood" itself means "cross" or "crucifix" in Old English.12

Initially, the main crucifix (rood) was supported by a beam across the nave. Later, a screen was added below this beam, with a loft above it. This loft displayed the rood, often flanked by statues of the Virgin Mary and St. John, and was also used for musical performances. Rood stairs provided access to these lofts. While prominent in England and continental Europe from the 14th to mid-16th centuries, rood screens and lofts became less common due to architectural preferences for an unobstructed view into the chancel.2