460 Malmesbury Abbey. 



The Norman invasion affected Malmesbury but little, save that 

 the Saxon abbat was deposed, and a foreigner, Thorold of Fecamp, 

 instituted in his stead. Thorold, being removed to Peterborough 

 in 1070, was succeeded by Warin de Lyra, who replaced the relics 

 of St, Aldhelm in their shrine. 1 He also enlarged St. Michael's 

 church, and caused the reputed relics of Saxon saints which were 

 contained in vessels on either side of the altar to be buried. 



In 1118 Roger, the domineering bishop of Sarum and chancellor 

 of England, seized the abbey for his own use, and built a castle at 

 Malmesbury to keep the monks in subjection. 2 The site of the 

 castle was apparently near the east gate of the town, though various 

 writers have placed it at the west gate, forgetting that the cemetery 

 which it is said to have encroached upon was that of the monks to 

 the east of the church, and not the present parish churchyard. 

 Eoger died in 1139 and the monastery regained its rights, which 

 are contained at length in an exemplification of Pope Innocent II., 

 dated x kal. Junii 1142. 3 



It is reasonable to suppose that, upon the restitution of the 

 revenues to the abbey, the building of the great church, of which 

 the present is a fragment, was contemplated. William of Malmes- 

 bury, the historian and inmate of the convent, wrote just before 

 his death in 1143 : 



"The spacious structure of the larger church was standing, and in size 

 and beauty exceeded any other religious edifice in England." 4 

 This clearly shows that the new church was not begun, but it may 

 be imagined that the statement, considering that such churches as 

 Winchester, T,ewkesbury, and Gloucester were completed, was 

 made in antagonism to the proposal by one who loved the old order 

 of things. The new church at Malmesbury would be started at 

 the east end in the usual manner and continued gradually westward. 



King John, just before his death in 1216, granted to the abbat 

 and convent " the place in which is situated the castle of Malmes- 

 bury, with leave to pull down the buildings and erect others at 

 their will." 5 



1 William of Malmesbury, p. 424. 2 Bonn's Antiq. Libr. p. 505. 



3 Registrum Malmesburiense (Rolls Series, 1880), i., 352. 



4 William of Malmesbury, p. 361. 5 Reg. Afalmes, i., 340. 



