Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society (1903) (14775657961)

Identifier: transactionsofbr26bris (find matches)
Title: Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. cn
Subjects: Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
Publisher: Bristol, Eng. : The Society
Contributing Library: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive



Text Appearing Before Image:
of ;^5,ooo, of which about ;^i,ooo has still to be raised. Mr. H. Brakspear, F.S.A., very kindly wrote for the programme thefollowing account of the Abbey Buildings :— At Domesday the Abbey of Malmesbury had many possessions, andwas one of the richest monasteries under the jurisdiction of the See ofSarum. Through some mistake in reading the old historian, William ofMalmesbury, Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, is accredited with commencingthe present church. He was a prelate much favoured by the King, butinstead of building any church at Malmesbury, he erected a castle thereto keep the monks in subjection, after which he confiscated all theirlevenues to his own use. 8 Transactions for the Year 1903, It^ was not till after his death, in 1143, and the restitution of themonks rights in consequence, that we must look for the first indication ofthe building of the present structure. It seems to have been commenced,as usual in mediaeval days, by building the eastern portion first, with th&
Text Appearing After Image:
MALMESBURY ABBEY, NORTH DOORWAY. aisle wall next the cloister, after that, the nave, south porch, and west endwould follow in quick succession. From the account of William of Worcester, who visited the Abbey inthe fifteenth century, we learn the length of this church was approximately279 ft. from east to west. The present remains are merely a small fragment of this greatchurch, and comprise the six eastern bays of the nave, with the west andnorth arches of the central tower, the south porch, and the ruins of partsof the west end and south transept. Malmesbury. 9 The nave has the main walls divided into three stories: (i) th&lowest, containing the great arcade arches, which are pointed and moulded^have curious carved grotesques at the apex and terminals of the labels,and are supported on large cylindrical columns with escallop capitals ^