20 
THE CHARM OF ST. MARY’S ABBEY AND 
be required at the west end of the Nave if the measurement was 
calculated from the floor level of Choir. I may here mention that 
a number of trial holes were made in various parts of the Abbey 
grounds, water being found at varying depths. We have it under 
here at 2ft. 6in. below the floor, but the judicious use of cement 
concrete prevents any ill effect that would be likely to arise. It 
appears that the platforms on which the columns stand were 
allowed to stand for a time, as it was not until 1273 that the first 
stone of these colums was laid-—about 640 years ago. 
Five years later, 1278, the progress of the new Choir had been 
so considerable, it was decided to proceed with the Central Tower, 
the Norman campanile at that time threatening to collapse. This 
work, I think, would only be carried to height of the Choir, and 
the transepts would no doubt be proceeded with at the same time. 
The fragment of the North or gable wall of the North Transept 
reveals an interesting feature. In the core of the wall is part of 
the Norman pilasterdike buttress cased on both inner and outer 
sides with 13th century masonry. On the outside may be seen 
the projecting weathered base of a buttress, and on the inside are 
fragments of the moulded base of the arcade respond. After the 
transepts and lower stage of the tower, would follow the Nave— 
all in fairly rapid succession. Simultaneously additions to and re¬ 
building other portions of the monastery were proceeding—as for 
instance the frater and warming house, also the beautiful Chapter 
House ; followed closely by the rebuilding of the vestibule con¬ 
necting the beautiful cloisters, then in progress of erection with 
the Chapter House. 
The illustration on Plate III. is from one of a set of drawings 
in the possession of the Society. It conveys some idea of the 
beauty and extent of the monastery before dissolution. It is from 
one of the conjectural drawings by Sharp, made probably about 
1836. As to the drawings themselves, they are masterpieces of 
delicate draughtmanship, and display a fairly accurate rendering 
of the original design. This may strike you as rather authorita¬ 
tive on my part, but my judgment is based solely on the result of 
careful investigation of existing remains, comparison with work of 
the same period, and discoveries made during the excavations, etc. 
These drawings are really beautiful, and I feel sure are worthy of 
a better position than where they are now hung. 
It appears from Dodsworth's MSS. at Oxford, that the great 
Central Tower was surmounted by a tall spire of wood covered 
