136 



live — the members proceeded at once to the Abbej'. Passing through 

 the nave, with its tall and massive Norman piers, their thoughts 

 were at once carried off to Durham Cathedral, and the words of a 

 celebrated Professor recurred to the mind — " the builders of thia 

 seem to have intended you to fall down and worship " — the 

 imposing grandeur of the latter, however, is wanting in the Abbey, 

 and as the eye descends from the lofty nave and falls upon the 

 mean and ugly organ screen, the first impi-ession gives way to a 

 feeling of distui'bance at the want of repose caused by the various 

 screens and enclosures so detrimental to the grand perspective 

 which strikes the eye at Durham. Entering through the screen, 

 the chief feature of the Abbey at once discloses itself, i.e., the 

 variety and elegance of the various tombs ranging from early 

 decorated period to late pei-pendicular, in fact it may be called the 

 burial place of the Earls of Gloucester. Commencing with the 

 north side, Mr. Niblett proceeded to describe each of these in their 

 order. The first was stated to be a commemorative chapel erected 

 by Abbot Parker in the reign of Richard II., 1397, in memory of 

 Robert Fitz-Hamon, who at the time of the Conquest made great 

 additions to the building, and may be said to have founded the 

 Abbey; he was killed at Falaise, in 1107, and inten-ed in the 

 Chapter-house, but afterwards removed into the Church, 1241 ; a 

 tomb of Purbeck marble mai'ks the spot, and in the flooring on the 

 north side are some of the original encaustic tiles with the arms of 

 Fitz-Hamon, impaled with those of the Abbey. Next in order 

 comes a beautiful sepulchral chapel, built by Isabel, Countess of 

 Warwick, for her firet husband Richard Beauchamp, Earl of 

 Worcester, killed at the siege of Meaux, 1421. This Chapel, called 

 St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, contains a priest's chamber inside, 

 originally supported by two slender shafts of Pm'beck marble, only 

 one of which now remains, the other having been replaced by a 

 shaft of a yellow stone. The richly oiniamented fan tracery roof 

 has suffered considerably from time and neglect, and most of the 

 pendants have fallen down. To the north of this succeeds the altar 

 tomb of Hugh le Despenser and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of 

 Wm. Montacute, Earl of Salisbury ; the female figure has the 

 peculiar headdress of Edward III.'s time. A series of heads are 



