[Picture: The Abbey Church]
THE ABBEY CHURCH is situated in the suburb to which it has given the name
of Abbey Foregate. It is built of a deep red stone. A noble simplicity
combined with a massive solidity characterizes the whole structure, to
which time has given a most venerable appearance; and, though marks of
mutilation are too evident throughout, it displays many curious features
of ancient Norman architecture combined with the earlier pointed style.
It originally formed part of the richly endowed monastery founded in 1083
by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, and when entire was a stately
cruciform building, equal in size to some of our cathedrals, having a
central and western tower, transepts, &c. The whole eastern portion,
two-thirds of the structure, was barbarously destroyed at the dissolution
of monasteries in the time of Henry the Eighth. The neglect of
after-times has contributed much to disfigure its external elevation, the
eastern portion of the upper clerestory having from decay fallen down
some time about the close of the 17th century.
The present church consists of the nave, side aisles, and western tower
of the Abbey church, and owes its escape to the circumstance of the
western end having always been used as the church of the parish of HOLY
CROSS, the name it still retains.
The west front is composed of the tower, flanked by the ends of the
Norman side aisles, and has a bold appearance. The tower is broad and
massive; the basement early Norman, surmounted by a well-proportioned
superstructure of the 14th century. The portal is a deeply recessed
round-headed arch, having a pointed doorway inserted within it; to
preserve uniformity, the exterior rib of the outward round arch springs
on each side from a Norman shaft with an indented capital, and the
combination displays much skill and ingenuity.
Above this is one of the most magnificent windows in the kingdom, 46 feet
high by 23 feet wide; the intrado of the arch is enriched by a series of
small trefoil panels; the label rises high above it in the ogee form,
richly crocketed and terminated in a finial. The window is in the
decorated style, and divided horizontally by transoms, and
perpendicularly by six mullions, into seven compartments for the glass,
the lower division having blank panels which have never been pierced for
glazing. The arched head is gracefully pointed and filled with a
profusion of the most rich and delicate tracery.
On each side of the window are the remains of a canopied niche, which
once contained statues, probably of Saint Peter and St. Paul, the tutelar
saints of the Abbey.
The north and south-west angles of the tower are flanked by shelving
buttresses, having their sets-off worked into pedimented weatherings.
The bell chamber has two windows on each side, between those of the
western front is an elegant canopied niche containing the statue of an
armed knight, bearing in one hand a mutilated sword, the other appears to
have once projected from the body, but is now broken. The figure has a
conical basinet, encircled by a crown, fastened to a camail of mail,
which covers the neck, shoulders, and breast to the hips, and is finished
by an emblazoned jupon. The thighs and legs are encased in plate armour.
This statue is supposed to represent Edward the Third, in whose reign the
tower was probably built.
On the north side of the church is a lofty and handsome porch, the
entrance to which is under a pointed arch resting on round columns, and
peculiarly recessed within a square aperture charged with shields; above
is a chamber (formerly in two stories) lighted by small mullioned windows
whose arches are nearly flat. On each side are niches, in one of which
is the remains of a figure. The ceiling of the porch is cylindrical,
without ornament, and the interior doorway a plain semi-circular arch
with round mouldings.
The exterior of the side aisles displays a series of modern gables, each
of which contains a mullioned window. The eastern end of the church is
finished by a wall run up between the remains of the two western piers
that supported a central tower, in which a pointed window is inserted.
This, however, will soon be removed, and three elegant Norman lights
substituted by private munificence.
On the south side the gables are at present miserably repaired with
brickwork, but it is to be hoped that ere long the public spirit and good
taste of the town will be exercised in such a manner as to assist the
parishioners in the proper restoration of this side of the church, which
presents so striking a feature from the new line of the London road.
The south aisle is entered by a plain Norman arch, resting on slender
shafts, and which once communicated with the western wing of the
cloister; the approach from the opposite eastern wing was by a pointed
doorway; adjoining this is the ruined wall of the transept, in which are
two round arches, supposed to have formed portions of a side aisle, or
small chantry chapel west of the transept.