THE ARCHBISHOP'S PALACE 117 



Already, in the twenty years of its existence, it had 

 undermined superstition, and was presently to root 

 out the priests, even as he foresaw. 



Unquestionably the sight best worth seeing in 

 Croydon is that next-door neighbour of the church, 

 the Archbishop's Palace. Comparatively few are those 

 who see it, because it is just a little way off the road 

 and is private property and shown only by favour and 

 courtesy. When the Archbishops deserted the place 

 it was sold under the Act of Parliament of 1780 and 

 became the factory of a calico-printer and a laundry. 

 Some portions were demolished, the moat was filled 

 up, the " minnows and the springs of Wandel ' of 

 which Ruskin speaks, were moved on, and mean little 

 streets quartered the ground immediately adjoining. 

 But, although all those facts are very grim and grey, 

 it remains true that the old palace is a place very well 

 worth seeing. 



It was again sold in 1887, and purchased by the 

 Duke of Newcastle, who made it over to the so-called 

 " Kilburn Sisters," who maintain it as a girls' school. 

 I do not know, nor seek to inquire, by what right, or 

 with what object, the " Sisters ' who conduct the-" 

 school affect the dress of Roman Catholics, while 

 professing the tenets of the Church of England ; but 

 under their rule the historic building has been well 

 treated, and the chapel and other portions repaired, 

 with every care for their interesting antiquities, under 

 the eyes of expert and jealous anti-restorers. The 

 Great Hall, chief feature of the place, still maintains 

 its fifteenth century chestnut hammerbeam roof and 

 armorial corbels ; the Long Gallery, where Queen 

 Elizabeth danced, the State bedroom where she slept, 

 the Guard Room, quarters of the Archbishops' body- 

 guard, are all existing ; and the Chapel, with oaken 

 bench-ends bearing the sculptured arms of Laud, of 

 Juxon, and others, and the Archbishops' pew, has 

 lately been brought back to decent condition. Here, 

 too, is the exquisite oaken gallery at the western end, 

 known as " Queen Elizabeth's Pew." 



