great height ; this led to King Edward's Gallery, terminating in the 

 oratory (in which we stand). On the other side were St. Michael's Gallery 

 and the Yellow Danish Chamber, with many other rooms filled with rare 

 books, rare Oriental china, and pictures of well known reputation. 



The Abbey was evidently never intended as a permanent dwelling, 

 timber and cement being the principal articles used in its construction, 

 which was pushed on Avithout a single delay, fresh bands of workmen 

 relieving at night those Avho worked by day. The first tower, 300 feet 

 high, was consequently overturned by a sudden storm, and Mr. Beckford is 

 said to have regretted that he did not personally witness the crash. A 

 new one was afterwards built and also fell some 20 years later. About 

 this time, 1800, before the old house was demolished, Lord Nelson, having 

 passed through Salisbury, where he received the freedom of the city at 

 the hands of the Mayor and Corporation, was a guest, with other 

 distinguished persons, of Mr. Beckford. Seven years later Mr. Beck- 

 ford made the Abbey his residence and spent some 13 years in solitary 

 splendour, seldom visiting the outside world. A wall, 12 teet high, 

 topped by a chevaux-de-frise, surrounded the grounds, which contained 

 walks and rides planned by himself and extending to twenty miles. Many 

 attempts were made by strangers to obtain admittance to the grounds 

 and gardens, but few were successful. Mr. Beckford sold the contents of 

 the Abbey (probably owing to a depreciation in his West Indian 

 property) in 1822, 7,200 catalogues at a guinea each being sold, Mr. 

 John Farquhar, a retired East Indian merchant, paying £330,000 for the 

 Abbey (as it stood) and land. Other sales of the library and china and 

 pictures ensued, the last one continuing for 57 days. 



On 21st Dec, 1825, the principal towei fell across Fountain Court, and 

 destroyed the hall, the octagon, and the greater part of the galleries. 

 This was not unexpected, Mr. Beckford having informed Mr. Farquhar of 

 the vibration and insecurity of its foundations. Only one person was hurt. 



The estate was again sold by auction and divided into two. Lord 

 Westminster buying the site of the Abbey and woods and Mr. Morrison 

 the remaining wing of the old house of Alderman Beckford, now the 

 residence of Mr. Alfred Morrison. 



Mr. Beckford died at Bath, Avhere he built a high tower (150ft.), on 

 Lansdown, in May, 1844, and is buried in the cemetery at Lansdown. 

 Many of the family are buried at Fonthill Gifford, the church having 

 been built by Lord Westminster in 1866 on the site of the old one erected 

 by the late Alderman Beckford." 



After hearing the paper, which was illustrated by an excellent model of 

 the original Abbey,of which a small part only now remains, including one 



