The castles and abbeys of England; Vol. 2 of 2: from the national records, early chronicles, and other standard authorsBeattie, William
History
The castles and abbeys of England; Vol. 2 of 2: from the national records, early chronicles, and other standard authors
Beattie, William
Abbeys -- England; Castles -- England
Entering the church by the west doorway, the visitor passes along the
nave, with the “pillared aisles” on his right and left, and the
newly-discovered pavement. In the distance, and directly opposite, under
the great east window, is the high altar, as distinctly shown in the
engraved illustration. Moving along the nave, he observes five distinct
clustered pillars, surmounted by the magnificent arches, described in
these pages. At the commencement of the north and south transepts, he
will examine the bases of the four massive columns which formerly
supported the great central tower; the doors and windows of the
transepts; the sepulchral fragments scattered along the smooth grassy
parterre of the choir; then, at the north-west corner of the north
transept, he will ascend a few steps of a spiral staircase leading to
the top of the church; and, from the gallery which runs round within the
wall, look down on the scene before and beneath him. Descending to the
transept floor, he will enter a door near the angle where the nave and
north transept unite; and entering a passage northward, through a richly
ornamented doorway, he will observe the following apartments, viz.:--
<g>The Cloister</g> on the left, forming a considerable quadrangle, the sides
of which are of the same length as the nave of the church, on which it
closely abuts, running parallel with it to the west doorway, and
bordering the public road. Here, also, are some mutilated sepulchral
effigies of ancient abbots, crosses, &c., from which the inlaid brasses
have been sacrilegiously purloined. On the right hand of the visitor, as
he enters, is the ancient
<g>Vestry</g>, or sacristy, an oblong chamber, divided into two compartments,
the second of which opens by a doorway into the North <g>Transept</g>. Closely
adjoining this on the north, is
<g>The Chapter-house</g>, of the same form and dimensions as the vestry, but
not subdivided. Farther again on the right is a large hall, with the
remains of five central pillars that supported the arched stone roof,
supposed to be the ancient
<g>Hospitium</g>, or guest-chamber, already described in these pages. On the
east of this, and running parallel with it, are the remains of offices
or apartments--probably dormitories--the precise use of which has not
been ascertained. Beyond, eastward, lay the Cemetery. Adjoining the
Hospitium on the west, and connecting it with the Refectory, are several
small buildings, with the remains of other dormitories on the upper
floor. Immediately adjoining this, on the west, is the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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