DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61904#0234
222
FURNESS ABBEY.
road into a lane fhaded by oaks, running down a narrow
valley, or glen, called the Glen of the Deadly Nightfhade : and
at the bottom of this glen, under the folemn ihade of majeflic
foreft trees, I came upon the ruins of the famous abbey of
Furnefs. I beheld it Handing with a grafly area in front, and
enclofed on each fide by noble groves of plane-tree, afh and
oak. Though much fhattered, and having loft the central
tower, it is Hill extenfive and magnificent. Lofty walls and
arches, cluttered columns, and long-drawn aides, remain; and
the fine fymmetry and noble proportions of the arches contrafl
moft piCturefquely with the rents and fiflures of the pile. The
former extent of the building may in fome degree be judged
of, when I flate that what remains meafures five hundred feet
from north to fouth, and three hundred from eaft to weft.
“ The abbey lies in a nook, apparently fo fecluded that it
might be deemed the utmofl corner of the earth ; but you
have only to afcend the hills on either fide, and you look ahead
on the wide world, embracing all the extent of fea and land
vifible from the fhores of the bay of Morecambe. The
college and the fchool-houfe are the moft complete apartments
remaining. The former has an arched roof, Hill quite perfect :
its tall narrow windows have no arch, but terminate upwards
in the fhape of a pediment. The fchool-houfe is equally
perfect, but is fmaller and lefs ornamental.”
After defcribing the remains of the kitchens and the noble
refectories, he fays,—ct Palling through the cloifters, of which
only the fkeletons remain, we entered the church under the
great central tower, the lofty arches of which are yet Handing.
The eaflern window is of vafl dimenfions, and its ornamental
frame was anciently filled with painted glafs, fome of which
yet exifls in the church of Bownefs, Windermere. In the
wall at the right of the window, are four flails with a fretted
FURNESS ABBEY.
road into a lane fhaded by oaks, running down a narrow
valley, or glen, called the Glen of the Deadly Nightfhade : and
at the bottom of this glen, under the folemn ihade of majeflic
foreft trees, I came upon the ruins of the famous abbey of
Furnefs. I beheld it Handing with a grafly area in front, and
enclofed on each fide by noble groves of plane-tree, afh and
oak. Though much fhattered, and having loft the central
tower, it is Hill extenfive and magnificent. Lofty walls and
arches, cluttered columns, and long-drawn aides, remain; and
the fine fymmetry and noble proportions of the arches contrafl
moft piCturefquely with the rents and fiflures of the pile. The
former extent of the building may in fome degree be judged
of, when I flate that what remains meafures five hundred feet
from north to fouth, and three hundred from eaft to weft.
“ The abbey lies in a nook, apparently fo fecluded that it
might be deemed the utmofl corner of the earth ; but you
have only to afcend the hills on either fide, and you look ahead
on the wide world, embracing all the extent of fea and land
vifible from the fhores of the bay of Morecambe. The
college and the fchool-houfe are the moft complete apartments
remaining. The former has an arched roof, Hill quite perfect :
its tall narrow windows have no arch, but terminate upwards
in the fhape of a pediment. The fchool-houfe is equally
perfect, but is fmaller and lefs ornamental.”
After defcribing the remains of the kitchens and the noble
refectories, he fays,—ct Palling through the cloifters, of which
only the fkeletons remain, we entered the church under the
great central tower, the lofty arches of which are yet Handing.
The eaflern window is of vafl dimenfions, and its ornamental
frame was anciently filled with painted glafs, fome of which
yet exifls in the church of Bownefs, Windermere. In the
wall at the right of the window, are four flails with a fretted