TAVISTOCK ABBEY. 3 



gorgeous vegetation.^' Much has been said as to its 

 origin : many have been of opinion that the fortuitous 

 intersection of circles produced the pointed arch. 

 Perhaps the most plausible conjecture is, that it de- 

 rived its origin from the east, and reached us through 

 the means of the first crusaders. In the Myvyrian 

 Archseology, a collection of ancient writings in the 

 old British tongue, relating to the history of Wales, is 

 a statement that Richard Glanville, a Norman Knight, 

 on his return from the Holy Land, founded the Abbey 

 of Neath, that he brought with him an architect from 

 the land of Canaan, called Lalys, who constructed the 

 most celebrated castles and monasteries in Wales, and 

 afterwards went to London, and became architect to 

 King Henry I. ; that he taught his art to many of the 

 Welsh and English. The eminent traveller, Dr. 

 Clarke, states that he saw, at St. Jean d'Acre, an edi- 

 fice attributed to the time of the crusaders, in the 

 pointed style of architecture, and another of the same 

 class he designates as one of the finest structures in the 

 Holy Land; vide Itin. Girald. Cambr. Item, Dr. 

 Clarke's Travels, vol. II., pp. 381407. 



The uniformity of style of architecture which per- 

 vaded Europe in the middle ages, may, perhaps, be 

 ascribed to the existence of a fraternity of itinerant 

 architects and workmen, the memory of which is per- 

 petuated in the society of Freemasons, in which per- 

 sons of all nations still unite as brethren. Their first 

 lodge in England was established at York, under the 

 guidance of Sir Christopher Wren, who also formed a 

 second lodge for those liberal architects in London. 



Our attention shall be directed first to Tavistock 

 Abbey. This sacred edifice was founded in 961, by 



* Non avea pur natura ivi dipinlo 



Ma di soavita di mille odori 

 Vi facea un incognito indistinto. 



Dante. Purg. VII. 



Her floral emblems Nature wrought in stone, 

 A living picture, indistinct, unknown. 



