DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6886#0171
WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 139
certainly with better authority, that Sebert, King of the East Saxons, built a
monastery here, in the year 605, which, as it is said, being destroyed by the
Danes, was, about three hundred and sixty years after, repaired by King Edgar,
who died in the year 975. This, it is probable, was a good strong building, after
the manner of the age, not much altered from the Roman way.
We have some forms of tins ancient Saxon way, which was with piers or
round pillars stronger than Tuscan or Doric, with round-headed arches and
windows. Such was Winchester cathedral of old, and such, at this day, the
royal chapel in the White Tower of London, the chapel of St. Cross, the chapel
of Christ Church in Oxford, formerly an old monastery, and divers others which
I need not name, built before the conquest; and such was St. ^Paul's built in the
time of King Rufus.
King Edward the Confessor repaired this abbey of King Edgar's* ; and a de-
scription of it has been published from an ancient manuscript, the sense of which
I translate into a language proper for builders, and as I can understand it.
" The principal area or nave of the church being raised high, and vaulted
with square and uniform ribs, is turned circular to the east. This, on each side,
is strongly fortified with a double vaulting of the aisles in two stories, with their
pillars and arches. The cross building was contrived to contain the choir in the
middle, and, the better to support the lofty tower, rose with a plainer and lower
vaulting; which tower, then spreading with artificial winding stairs, was con-
tinued with plain walls to its timber roof, which was well covered with lead."
These ancient structures are without buttresses, only with thicker walls. The
windows were very narrow and lattised; and King Alfred is praised for inventing
lanthorns to keep in the lamps in the churches.
* According to all our historians, he rebuilt it. Sulcardus says, " Monasterium est dirutum ut
* surgeret nobilius." William of Malmsbury, and Matthew Paris from him, " Ecclesiam aedificati-
" onis genere novo fecit;" and Matthew of Westminster, " a fundamentis construxerat."
T 2
certainly with better authority, that Sebert, King of the East Saxons, built a
monastery here, in the year 605, which, as it is said, being destroyed by the
Danes, was, about three hundred and sixty years after, repaired by King Edgar,
who died in the year 975. This, it is probable, was a good strong building, after
the manner of the age, not much altered from the Roman way.
We have some forms of tins ancient Saxon way, which was with piers or
round pillars stronger than Tuscan or Doric, with round-headed arches and
windows. Such was Winchester cathedral of old, and such, at this day, the
royal chapel in the White Tower of London, the chapel of St. Cross, the chapel
of Christ Church in Oxford, formerly an old monastery, and divers others which
I need not name, built before the conquest; and such was St. ^Paul's built in the
time of King Rufus.
King Edward the Confessor repaired this abbey of King Edgar's* ; and a de-
scription of it has been published from an ancient manuscript, the sense of which
I translate into a language proper for builders, and as I can understand it.
" The principal area or nave of the church being raised high, and vaulted
with square and uniform ribs, is turned circular to the east. This, on each side,
is strongly fortified with a double vaulting of the aisles in two stories, with their
pillars and arches. The cross building was contrived to contain the choir in the
middle, and, the better to support the lofty tower, rose with a plainer and lower
vaulting; which tower, then spreading with artificial winding stairs, was con-
tinued with plain walls to its timber roof, which was well covered with lead."
These ancient structures are without buttresses, only with thicker walls. The
windows were very narrow and lattised; and King Alfred is praised for inventing
lanthorns to keep in the lamps in the churches.
* According to all our historians, he rebuilt it. Sulcardus says, " Monasterium est dirutum ut
* surgeret nobilius." William of Malmsbury, and Matthew Paris from him, " Ecclesiam aedificati-
" onis genere novo fecit;" and Matthew of Westminster, " a fundamentis construxerat."
T 2