The Roofs
The extensive alterations carried out between 1396 and 1401 included the reroofing of the chancel and nave. These new roofs consisted of dark oak rafters and plaster with an embattled cresting to the tie beams and arched presses below which spring from stone corbels carved with friars faces in all types of grotesque attitudes.
In 1932 after the discovery of death watch beetle the plastered finish to the underside of the barrelled ceilings was removed. After treatment of the timbers, the plastered ceilings were reinstated on top of the arched presses to expose these members as feature timber work. In 1969 there was a major fire which destroyed the majority of the original timber roof structure. Today there is a horizontal ceiling just above the level of the original tie beams; the roof is now supported by a modern timber structure with very few of the original timbers remaining in position.
The original roof support framework in the Corpus Christi chapel survived the fire and today the dark kingpost structure is exposed with the sloping plastered ceilings following the roof line.