EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF DALE ABBEY. 120 



Inventory were (as we have ascertained from documentary evi- 

 dence) the High Altar and those dedicated to the Blessed Virgin 

 Mary, Our Lady of Pity, Holy Rood, S. Margaret, and S. 

 Werburgh. Of these, the High Altar and two others remain, and 

 the position of two otliers is marked by the stone foundations of 

 the screens, or parcloses, which enclosed them. There is no doubt 

 now that the large north chapel was the Lady Chapel, and the 

 small one near it that of our Lady of Pity. The Rood Altar 

 stood in the South Transept. Originally, it would appear that the 

 whole church was of early English date, also the Chapter House 

 and Common House — as may be seen from the position of the 

 various early English bases, as well as from the plinth which remains 

 on the north of the choir, and on the Chapter House and Common 

 House. The North Transept and Lady Chapel are also, perhaps, 

 part of the original design, but the South Transept followed the 

 normal arrangement of having an eastern aisle divided into two 

 chapels. This aisle was afterwards extended eastward to form the 

 two south chapels, respectively dedicated to S. Margaret and S. 

 Werburgh. The step of a north door remains in the North 

 Transept. The South Transept had two doors — one on the west 

 into the cloisters, a feature common to many Premonstratensian 

 houses — and another on the south into the Sacristy. Of the nave 

 and its aisle, almost all the foundations have been removed, but 

 three of the bases of the arcade exist. One of the most valuable 

 discoveries is a large portion of the nave pavement, with the tiles 

 disposed in bands for the arrangement of processions. At 

 Fountains, York, and Chichester, circular stones, and at Can- 

 terbury lines cut in the pavement, served the same purpose ; but 

 the tile bands at Dale are unique. In the centre of this pavement 

 had once lain a sepulchral slab ; but this no longer exists, and the 

 vault beneath had been rifled. One side of this grave was formed 

 of a large piece of window-cill with a bold roll moulding, and its 

 western end was filled with many specimens, more or less perfect, 

 of the fine large green tiles, with Knights tilting. 



As regards the cloister, excavations proved that the alleys were 

 10 feet in width, and the whole quadrangle 85 feet 6 inches 



