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Charnel-House

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Charnock, Stephen, D.D.

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(med. Lat. carnarium), a place in the neighborhood of a church-yard or other cemetery, usually vaulted, where the dry bones of the dead, which the grave-digger had thrown up, were carefully laid in order. Afterwards a chapel was built over it, wherein interment could be made, monuments erected, and masses, (See CHANTRY), be sung. In this case the "charnel- house" was a vault under the chapel. The chapels of cathedrals sometimes had such charnelhouses under them.