Journal of Proceedin(/8. vii 



was of Harold's age. The Church built by Harold was consecrated 

 about 1059 ; that was known to be the case because the names of 

 the Archbishop and Bishops who attended the ceremony were all 

 preserved, and the dates of their episcopates were known. Edward the 

 Confessor and his Queen were also present at the consecration of the 

 Church. From 1059 until 1177 no very great alteration took place in the 

 Church ; but at the latter date Henry the Second altered Harold's 

 foundation altogether, by making it for monks instead of seculars. The 

 large monastic buildings necessary for the accommodation of the abbot 

 and monks which existed to the north of the Church were then erected ; 

 but he fancied that at that time there must have been some slight 

 alteration made in the Church itself in regard to ornamentation — it 

 occurred to him, from the existence of some chevrons, that they were then 

 rather displeased with the baldness and plainness of some of the work 

 and tried to improve it. It would be as well if those present would try to 

 realise what the Church had been. It was just probable that in 1177 the 

 original choir of Harold was extended farther to the east. Alluding to 

 the Lady Chapel, Mr. Birch described it as a very beautiful little building, 

 and said that the architectural work of the Chapel was almost unique in 

 its sort; he knew very little work like that in England. Eeferring to 

 other points in connection with the Church, Mr. Birch said that the 

 existing tower at the west end was built in 1558. The baptismal font was 

 the ancient one. It was composed of a beautiful block of Purbeck marble ; 

 but the shape had been altered, so that its present form was modern. 

 Under Mr. Birch's guidance a thorough inspection of the Church was 

 made, both inside and out. The only large tree in the churchyard is an 

 Elm, supposed to be 300 or 400 years old ; it measures 22 feet round the 

 base, and 20 feet round the centre of the trunk, the height from the 

 ground to the head being 12 feet ; the main limbs were lopped off, but the 

 tree is still living. The Abbey-grounds were visited, and on the north- 

 east side of the churchyard, in Mr. King's garden, an ancient groined 

 building called the "Potato Cellar," from its present ignoble use. Mr. 

 Birch said in regard to this room that he did not think it was originally a 

 chapel, as it ran from north to south ; he thought that it was a portion of 

 the Abbot's house or hospicium. As to the fact of the room being now 

 unlighted by windows, there were traces of the wall having been disturbed, 

 and it might very likely have been originally lighted by lancet windows ; 

 but Mr. Winters pointed out a ring which still remains in the centre of 

 the groined ceiling, from which a lamp may have been suspended. 



The Vicar had most kindly placed his private school-room at the 

 disposal of the Council, and in it a kind of temporary Museum had been 

 gathered together, chiefly by the exertions of Mr. Wakefield and Dr. 

 Priest. The objects were very well displayed in the well-furnished room. 

 Amongst other things Mr. Wakefield exhibited some coins found at 

 Waltham Abbey ; a series of 17th century tokens from Waltham, Col- 

 chester, and other Essex towns ; seals, d'c. ; also a long and valuable series 



