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Standing Madonna and child, with three panels beneath relating to Saint Edmund. The Madonna is set in a shaped moulding in the lower middle section of a large pointed window above the doorway, with the three panels in a row beneath. She is a simple, stylised figure standing with her hands by her sides palms outwards. The Christ figure is a small child dressed in a short robe. He too is standing and has his hands raised to rest in front of his mother's. He is in relief in front of her figure. The central panel beneath depicts Saint Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury, lying like an effigy on a tomb. He is shown in profile lying full length on a draped couch with his hands clasped in prayer on his chest. He is wearing a mitre and has a crosier by his side. Set into the top border of the panel is his crest, a shield with three suns on it. In the panel on the left is his bishop's mitre with lappets and with three crowns round it one above the other. There are two crossed keys behind. In the panel on the right is a shield with a crossed key and sword on it, a motto in a ribbon beneath, AGE PRO VIRIBUS, and an ecclesiastical hat above with six tassels in three rows on either side.

Saint Edmund (Edmund Rich) born around 1170/80, died in 1240, scholar, preacher and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was born at Abingdon near Oxford where he studied and taught, also teaching in Paris. In 1227 successfully preached on behalf of the Pope for the Sixth Crusade, who than made him Archbishop of Canterbury in 1234. Antagonised King Henry III defending rights of the church and criticising his policies abroad. He was supported by the barons and Henry was forced to expel his wife's French relatives, abandon their plans and promise to observe English law and customs. Henry requested a papal legate to be sent from Rome. He was sympathetic to the King's side, and with the monks of Rochester and Canterbury also against him, the Archbishop's authority was undermined. In 1240 he left England for a Cistercian abbey in France but died at nearby Soissy soon after. He was canonised six years later. St Edmund was greatly respected for his principles, and his works were a strong influence on later spiritual writers. ecclesiastical hat

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