The New International Encyclopædia/Lady Chapel

LADY CHAPEL. A chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary (‘Our Lady’). It was nearly always an elongation of the choir, and was usually the east end of the church, directly behind the high altar, or at the end of the aisles of the choir. It was often the most decorated part of the church in sculpture, and during the Gothic period in beautiful glasses. Its use was most extensive in England, where nearly all the cathedrals and great abbey churches had lady chapels. A good example is Henry VII.'s chapel at Westminster, the lady chapel of that cathedral.