H. Claiborne Dixon

“ Though the church of the Early English abbey is roofless and the central tower gone, the noble structure, with its many graceful arches, seems to attest to the spirit of religious fervour and devotion so intimately associated with the history of its grey and lichen-covered walls.
The finest part of the ruins is undoubtedly the church, which, with the exception of the roof and the north piers of the nave, still stands complete. It has a nave of six bays with aisles, a choir of four bays with aisles, the transepts with eastern aisles having two chapels. ”

“ HOW utterly incapable the most experienced writer must feel when called upon to describe worthily the{152} abbey of Westminster! Apart from all the legendary matter connected with the noble pile, and the glamour which surrounds the ancient Benedictine church, the abbey stands out as the receptacle of all that is best and grandest in the history of England. The tombs of the kings and queens, the monuments erected since the Reformation in memory of notable men and women in literature, music, and all other arts, make history a nearer and more living thing. ”

“ Art, worship, devotion, learning often in the highest form at that time attainable, were brought to man’s very doors. If he had in him anything which would correspond to their magnetic touch, and would submit himself to the chastening of discipline, the open portals of the nearest monastery set him upon the lowest rung of the ladder which would lead, did he choose it, to heaven.... There was hardly a district in England where monastic influence was unknown and its power unfelt.... For a century and a half after the Conquest all the best men in the English Church came from the monasteries. ”

“ The absolute sympathy of all the parts of this lovely building, the graceful arches, the diaper work in the spandrils of the choir arches, the loftiness and mysterious atmosphere of the ancient structure will appeal to all the highest aspirations of the individual. It is the temple of God, and also the shelter of those either of noble or lowly birth who have, according to their capabilities, furthered civilisation and promoted the common good; who, in fact, have done God’s work in this present world and endeavoured to make their fellow-men more worthy of the world to come. ”

“ To pass beneath the noble west front into the sacred building, teaming with memories of the past, is to enter another world, so different is the peaceful and mysterious atmosphere within the abbey from the bustle and hum of London without. ”

“ The ruins of this abbey church of a former Benedictine monastery stand overshadowed by the glorious Malvern hills in a beautiful valley in Gloucestershire, through which flow the Avon and Severn with two tributaries. The rich colouring of the country side and the ever varying tints of the surrounding hills make the environment of Tewkesbury{131} one of singular beauty—a perfect setting for the abbey with its imposing Norman tower, one of the most perfect of the kind in England. ”

“ The most ancient parts of the edifice are those most central, the east and west ends being of a different style of architecture and of a later period. The eastern part of the nave, the transepts and central tower, are all the work of Abbot Paul. Admirable in its proportions, the heavy Norman arches—relieved occasionally by those of Early English work—the beautiful moulding, the grand spaciousness of the whole building combine to make a grand and effective whole, while simplicity is undoubtedly the key-note of the entire structure. ”

“ Tavistock, like Buckland, is on the Tavy, and here, amidst beautiful country in a trough of hills, stands the skeleton of a formerly magnificent structure, once inhabited by Benedictine monks. Typical Devonshire scenery, both stern and gentle, with its bleak moorland and well-wooded, peaceful valleys, is nowhere more strongly exemplified than in the surroundings of this abbey, for though sheltered in a fertile valley, the dreary Dartmoor lies very close, and stretches away in the far distance, adding a grim and sombre tone to the aspect. ”

“ The view of the massive structure of the abbey church is from all points impressive. The great length of the nave with its magnificent western front, the pinnacled transepts, the choir and Lady chapel, all crowned by the lofty castellated tower, make up a truly marvellous whole. The greater part of the church was built after the Norman Conquest by the Abbot Paul, whose uncle, Lanfranc, was first appointed abbot of St Stephen’s at Caen by William I. and afterwards made Archbishop of Canterbury. ”

“ The delicacy of design and execution to be seen in the ruins is unrivalled in the kingdom—the tracery of the windows{134} being particularly fine. The ruined church possesses the grace and lightness of architecture peculiar to the 12th century, and is, even in its decay, of truly sublime and grand proportions. Time has been unable to obliterate the skilful work of our forefathers, for the Early English transition arches, the delicate moulding, and the exquisite stone tracery in the windows still delight the eye. ”

“ When the abbot returned from France, he and his monks resolved to remain in Skeldale, where they were joined in course of time by Serlo and Tosti, Canons of York, whose wealth greatly enriched the abbey. Within three years of their arrival beside the Skell, the monks of Fountains had acquired land and riches.
Though the Cistercian abbeys do not contain so much rich moulding, nor in any way approach the intricate workmanship of the great Benedictine abbeys, the austere dignity and simple grandeur make the Cistercians’ work every whit as imposing and beautiful as that of the earlier orders. ”

“ It is a matter of great regret that such a priceless example of English architectural workmanship as this{54} Abbey of St Hilda should be allowed to fall away before the nation’s eyes. Being in such an exposed position, on the very brink of a high cliff, the ruins will rapidly decay, and we have forebodings that before the end of this 20th century there may be very little of importance left of this building—so exceptionally invested with national, religious and legendary interest. ”

“ In this year John Knox returned to Scotland, and urging on his men, who were on the point of defending Perth by force of arms, prevailed upon them to destroy the ornaments, stained glass and statuary of every church in the place, and finally to demolish the monastery. Scott writes: “The example of the reformers in Perth was followed in St Andrews and other places; and we have to regret that many beautiful buildings fell a sacrifice to the fury of the lower orders, and were either totally destroyed or reduced to piles of shapeless ruins.” ”

“ When we realise that in the undercroft of the hospitium, amongst coal dust from the adjacent railway, lie, piled up in hopeless chaos, types of the best English architectural work, we are reminded again of the irretrievable loss to the nation from the overwhelming destruction that came upon England, and York in particular, in the ruin of the most beautiful church in the county—one boasting the highest work accomplished by Christian workmen. ”

“ This, coupled with years and years of neglect and petty stealing, has brought the abbey to its present state. The mighty red walls have crumbled and fallen away, the tower lies a heap of little more than dust, the vaults have completely disappeared, but much yet remains to bear witness to the self-sacrifice and devotion of these early communities. As regards architecture, Lindisfarne is strongly in the English-Norman style. There is none of the Saxon here, as Scott would have us believe—“In Saxon strength that abbey frowned,” he says. ”

“ In this Bekangs-Gill, or vale of deadly nightshade, the extensive remains of Furness, built of red sandstone, now covered by luxuriant foliage, occupy a very beautiful position. Gently rising in the distance stand the hills of Low Furness, and, overlooking the Abbey and all the surrounding district, is a commanding hill on which the monks erected a watch-tower, enabling them, if surprised by an enemy, to give warning to the neighbouring coast. The nave of the church is of nine bays, divided from its aisles by eight massive columns. ”

“ Dryburgh, signifying “oak growth,” is a town in Berwickshire delightfully situated amidst varied scenery, a few miles only from Kelso and Melrose. A convent was founded here in the 6th century, and, on its site, St Mary’s Abbey for White canons was built in the 12th century. The ruins are beautiful both in situation and construction. Flowing past them, the Tweed takes a crescent-like course and engirts the woods in which the red walls of the abbey stand. A suspension bridge spans the river and a sloping wooded lawn stretches away in front of the ruins. ”

“ The ruined abbey church, a somewhat heavy, massive-looking structure, indicative of strength and of almost baronial character, still holds part of its great central tower aloft, and is an excellent example of Norman work, both Early and Transitional. The church alone survives the many violent attacks made upon the abbey in the 16th century, and was originally cruciform, having a nave of only two bays, north and south transepts of two bays, a choir of three bays with aisles, and a magnificent central tower of two stories. ”

“ For this we must indeed be grateful to those men who were compelled to obey the dread mandates of Henry VIII., and who deserve all honour for their evident heartfelt appreciation of the beauty that they were forced to destroy.
From the times of the Normans until the Dissolution of the monasteries, York Abbey was held in high esteem both for its learning and its munificence. The revenues were great, and its abbot had a seat in Parliament. It is quite evident that whatever was planned and executed for the erection of the sacred building was accomplished in the best possible way. ”

“ The stillness of the ancient battlefield, the awful grandeur of the surrounding hills, and all the religious and historical associations of the place must have had at least the attraction of novelty to William de Lacy—a man of the world, accustomed to the gaiety and excitement of the court of Henry I. Not long elapsed before another courtier, Ernisius, chaplain to Queen Maud, became wearied of his many social duties, and journeying to William’s retreat, implored the hermit-knight to allow him to join in his monastic life. ”

“ The destruction of Selby Abbey by fire in October 1906 is a loss to the nation as well as to the county{56} of York. The late Sir Gilbert Scott, speaking of the abbey, said the building was “of a kind which is more the property of the nation than of a single parish, and one which is of the highest value to the study of ecclesiastical architecture and to the history of art in this country.” It was the most perfectly preserved specimen of a monastic church in England, and attracted archæologists from all parts of the world. ”

“ All that can be seen now in the green fields, with cows quietly grazing by the river sides, is a sheltered tower of grey stone, the sole remains of what was once a large ecclesiastical house. In 1864, great and important excavations were made, disclosing the foundations of the chancel, nave, transept and chapter-house, showing them to have been of a very considerable size. A few feet from the only remaining part of the abbey is the tomb of James III. and his queen, the Princess Margaret of Denmark. ”

“ But that unfortunate man, on whom there is perhaps more malice and spite vented than on any other of England’s celebrities, was not altogether responsible for the present dilapidated state of the abbey, as for years, nay centuries, in common with so many other religious edifices, the building served as a quarry for all the houses and walks in the neighbourhood. ”