By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 36 



Charles IP' return, 29 May 1660, the noise of artillery so shook 

 the old building, that " a pillar of the Tower and the parts above 

 it fell down the same night." 



Besides the central " pyramis" there was a large square Tower 

 at the west end of the church. This was standing in 1540 and was 

 seen by Leland. By the fall of this tower much of the west end 

 of the church was destroyed. The exact time and cause of the 

 accident are not known, but according to the description of the 

 Tourist in 1634, (just mentioned), it had so completely disappeared 

 that he seems not to have been aware of its having ever existed. 

 The " two towers " he speaks of were probably the two turrets at 

 the corners of the west front. He has preserved a minute account 

 of the sculptures on the fine arch of the Southern Porch. His 

 account being interesting and valuable, it is given at full length 

 below.' 



As to the Monastery itself, it seems to have stood chiefly on the 



* " So on I posted into a new Shire, through a little nooke of her, & by that 

 time it was night, I got into that ancient, sometimes famous & flourishing City 

 [Malmesberr}] ; but ffortune long since turn'd her face from her, so as now 

 there is little left, but the ruines of a rare demolish'd Church, and of a large 

 fa3re & rich Monastery. So much as is standing of this old Abbey Church 

 promiseth no lesse (for it rep^sents a Cathedrall) to have been of that largenes, 

 strength & extent, as most in y"" kingdome. 



" Her old strong Basis is answerable to her Coat. The two great Towers at 

 her West comming in, are quite demolish'd, & her great High Tower, at the 

 upper end of the high Altar much decay'd & ruinated: The Angle there cleane 

 decayd. At the West Doore, w"^*" was her entrance, are curiously cut in freestone, 

 the severall postures of the Moneths. At the South side of this ancient ffabricke, 

 at the entrance of a fayre Porch, there is curiously cutt, and carv'd in fireestone 

 in 3 ovall Arches, Statues rep'senting the Creation, the Deluge, & the Nativity, 

 w'^'' in their artiticiall Postures, I may compare to Wells, though not in number 

 soe many, nor in bignes so great. And w'^n the same Porch on either side, 

 are equally plac'd the 12 Apostles, & right ouer the Doore entring into the 

 Church, is Christ in his Throne between 2 Cherubims, w'^'' are most artificially 

 cut, and carv'd. 



On the first Arch. — 1. Defac'd quite. 2. Light from Chaos. 3. The Sea 

 from the Land. 4. The Lord sitts & beholds. 5. Hee makes ffowles. 6. Hee 

 makes ffish. 7. Hee makes the Beasts. 8. The Spirit moving upon y^ Water. 

 9. Adam made. 10. Adam sleeps, & Woman made. 11. Paradice. 12. Adam 

 left there. 13. Divell tempts Eve. 14. They hide themselves. 15. God calls 

 to them. 16. God thrusts them out. 17. A Spade & Distaffe given. 18. Adam 

 digs, Eve spins. 19. Eve brings forth Cain. 20. Abell tills y"^ Earth. 21, 22, 



d2 



