ANTE-CHOIR

ante-choir, the term given to the space enclosed in a church between the outer gate or railing of the rood screen and the door of the screen; sometimes there is only one rail, gate or door, but in westminster abbey it is equal in depth to one bay of the nave. the ante-choir is also called the "fore choir." ante-fixae (from lat. _antefigere_, to fasten before), the vertical blocks which terminate the covering tiles of the roof of a greek temple; as spaced they take the place of the cymatium and form a cresting along the sides of the temple. the face of the ante-fixae was richly carved with the anthemion (q.v.) ornament.