The Antiquities of England and Wales (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1784 Excerpt: ...in the ballad of the Hermit of Warkworth, I might be content to transcribe the descriptive part of that poem; but as you have insisted upon my relating to you what I saw myself, I shall endeavour to obey you. The cave contains three apartments; which, by way of distinction, I will venture to call the chapel, sacristy, and antichapel. Of these, the chapel is very entire and perfect; but the two others have suffered by the falling down of the rock ate the west end. By this accident a beautiful piHar, which formerly stood between these two apartments, and gave an elegant finishing to this end of the sacred vaults, was, within the memory of old people, destroyed. The chapel is no more than 18 feet long, nor more than seven and a half in width and height; but is modelled and executed in a very beautiful style of Gothic architecture. The sides are ornamented with neat octagon pillars, all cut in the solid rock; which branch off into the ceiling, and forming little pointed arches, terminate in groins. At the east end is a handsome plain altar, to which the priest ascended by two steps: these, in the course of ages, have been much worn away through the soft yielding nature of the stone. Behind the altar is a little nich, which probably received the crucifix, or the pix- Over this nich is still seen the faint outline of a glory. On the north side of the altar is a very beautiful Gothic.window, executed like all the rest, in the living rock. This window transmitted light from the chapel to the sacristy, or what else shall we call it, being a plain oblong room, which ran parallel with the chapel, somewhat longer than it, but not so" Vol. iv. A A wide. wide. At the east end of thi3 apartment are still seen tire remains of an altar, at which mass was occasiona...