Rents a cross and part of the cross part (8)
I believe the answer is:
transept
'cross part' is the definition.
'transept' can be an answer for 'part' (I have seen 'Part of church' mean 'transept' so perhaps 'part' could also mean 'transept'). I'm not certain of the 'cross' bit.
'rents a cross and part' is the wordplay.
'cross' is an anagram indicator (a cross or irritated version of the letters).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'part' becomes 'pt' (abbreviation).
'rents'+'a'='rentsa'
'rentsa' anagrammed gives 'transe'.
'transe'+'pt'='TRANSEPT'
'of the' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for transept that I've seen before include "It crosses the nave in church" , "Part of a church - patterns (anag)" , "Crossing part of a church" , "Arm of church body" , "always running north to south" .)