CROXDEN ABBEY. 123 



in 1333. The two chapels to this transept were dedicated, 

 one to the Holy Trinity to the north, and the other to 

 St. Benedict. 



The fragment at the east end is just one half of a small 

 apse, which was evidently attached to the circular end of 

 the church. This little chapel had a vaulted roof, and 

 was lighted by a single lancet window, and is of the same 

 date as the rest of the church. This fragment is a key 

 to the form of the whole east end, and it shows that 

 there must have been five small apsidal chapels round the 

 main apse, as shown on the plan. This is an unusual 

 eastern termination for a Cistercian church in England ; 

 it is believed the only other instance of it is at Beaulieu 

 Abbey in Hampshire, but this was the usual form of this 

 portion in France, and both Beaulieu and Croxden were 

 dependent upon and had their origin in that country. 

 The plan of Croxden is a copy of that of Alnet, which 

 was dedicated in 1190. There the five apsidal chapels 

 were dedicated as follows : the central one to the Blessed 

 Virgin Mary ; the others to St. Thomas of Canterbury, 

 St. Mary Magdalene, St. John the Baptist, and St. Martin. 



The great altar stood, as shown upon the plan, within 

 the main apse. The interments before it were, 1 Nicholas 

 de Verdun, son of the founder. 2 John de Verdun, who 

 died 1274. 3 Joanna de Furuival, who died in 1334, and 

 was buried between the two. Some years ago three stone 

 coffins were to be seen in the position shown upon the 

 plan, such situation being usually devoted to the remains 

 of highly-venerated saints. 



To the south of the south transept are the buildings of 

 the Abbot Walter de London. Adjoining the transept is 



