monarch, for somewhat more than £3000. Sir Ed- | south-east, is represented in the wood-cut at the head ward Denny (grand-child to Sir Anthony), created of this article. Earl of Norwich by Charles the First, was the next possessor, and from his family it passed, by the marriage of Honora his daughter, to the celebrated James Hay, Earl of Carlisle. It subsequently came into the possession of the family of Sir William Wake, Bart., the present lord of the manor. Though the buildings of Waltham Abbey were once so extensive as to include a space of many acres, scarcely any part remains but the nave of the Abbey Church, now the parochial church, an attached chapel on the south side, called the Lady Chapel, now a school-room and vestry; some ruinous walls, a small bridge and Gateway, near the Abbey mills, and a dark vaulted structure of two divisions connected with the convent garden, and which adjoined the Abbey House, inhabited by the Dennys.* In this view several of the peculiarities of the church are accurately discriminated. The Lady Chapel, (or Vestry and School-room), which is probably of Henry the Third's time, is supported by graduated buttresses, ornamented with elegantlyformed niches. Beneath it is a crypt, (now a charnel house), "the fairest," says Fuller, "that ever I the roof of which is sustained by groined arches. The super-structure, or school-room, has been so much modernized, that scarcely a vestige of its ancient character remains. In the contiguous burialground is a very fine widely-spreading elm, the trunk of which, at several feet above the earth, is seventeen feet and a half in circumference. saw; The present tower, which is a massive stone fabric, embattled and supported by strong buttresses, stands Originally, the Abbey Church was a very mag- at the west end of the church. It rises to the height nificent building, and its curious remains must be of eighty-six feet, and was erected about the year regarded as the earliest undoubted specimen of the 1558, (4th and 5th of Philip and Mary) at the exNorman style of architecture now existing in Eng-pense of the parishioners "from their stock in the land. Though erected by Earl Harold, in the Anglo-church-box.+ The charge for building it, indepenSaxon period, it cannot be justly referred to any other dently of materials, was 33s. 4d. per foot for the first style than that which the Normans permanently in- fifty-three feet, and 40s. per foot for the remainder. troduced after the Conquest. The great intercourse between the two countries, which King Edward the Confessor so particularly encouraged previously to that era, and the preference which he gave to Norman customs and Norman artificers, will readily account for this church being constructed from Norman designs. Edward himself caused the Abbey Church of Westminster to be rebuilt on similar principles; and in respect to the Monastery at Waltham, that monarch, as appears from his charter, dated in 1062, may be almost regarded as its coeval founder with Earl Harold. Sufficient is known of this structure, to state that its original form was that of a cross, and that a square tower, which "contained a ring of five great tuneable bells," arose from the intersection of the nave and transept; the two great western supporters of which are connected with and partly wrought into the present east end. The exterior, as it now appears from the *Not any remains exist of the Abbey House, (which is reported to have been a very extensive building,) except, perhaps, the vaulted structure mentioned above; and of a large mansion which was erected upon its site, nothing is left but a plastered wall. In the convent garden, which is now tenanted by a market gardener, is an aged tulip-tree, reported to be the largest in England; this tree, in the season of last year, (1831) was very full in flower. was purposely destroyed, as we gather from the following entry in the Churchwardens' Accounts. "Anno 1556. Imprimis. For coles to undermine a piece of the steeple which stood after the first fall, 2s." * The crypt was used as a place of worship, and it had its regular priest and other attendants; the reading-desk was covered with plates of silver. In the Churchwardens' Accounts, mention is made of six annual Obits, to defray the exeighteen cows was let out to farm for 18s. The sum allotted penses of which various lands were bequeathed, and a stock of for each Obit was thus expended:-To the parish priest, 4d.: to our Ladye's priest, 3d.: to the charnel priest, 3d.: to the two clerks, 4d.: to the children (choiristers,) 3d.: to the sexton, 2d. to the bellman, 2d.: for two tapers, 2d.: for oblation, 2d., &c. + This stock was an aggregate from various sources, as the sale of stone, lead, and timber from the monastic buildings; but it was chiefly obtained by the sale of the goods of a brotherhood belonging to this church, consisting of three priests, three choristers, and two sextons, which was not dissolved until Edward the Sixth's reign. Two hundred and seventy-one ounces of plate, the property of this fraternity, (which had been saved from confiscation on account of the avowed intention of the parish to erect the above tower) were sold for £67.14s. 9d. At the same time many rich dresses were disposed of, including a cape of cloth of gold to Sir Edward Denny for £3. 6s. 8d.; and two altar cloths of velvet and silk, value £2. It is not improbable but that the brotherhood thus despoiled was that of an Hospital, which had been originally founded within the precincts of the monastery by the Abbot and Convent of Waltham, + Some part of the tower fell from mere decay; the remainder about the year 1218. Fuller states ("Hist. of Waltham Abbey") that the bells which the parishioners had purchased from the old steeple were for some time hung in a temporary frame of timber, erected at the south-east end of the church-yard, (where then stood two large yew trees) and remained there till the tower was completed; but that, notwithstanding gifts of timber, &c. the funds fell so short that the said bells were obliged to be sold to raise more money; so that Waltham, "which formerly had steeple-less bells, now had a bell-less steeple." This defect was remedied in the early part of the present century, when a tuneable set of bells was hung in the present tower. The prospect from the leads is extensive and pleasant, though not accompanied with any great diversity of scenery. The old circular staircase leading into the tower opens from the north aisle. The entrance from the tower to the interior of the church is accurately delineated in the annexed woodcut. From the style of its architecture and the ac church, but was altered into its present form at the period here assigned; at which time, also, it is likely that the two contiguous arches of the nave were wrought from their ancient semicircular shape into the high-pointed form. companying ornaments, it is evidently of a date long | probability this door-way existed in Harold's original anterior to the tower itself. There can indeed be little hesitation in assigning its construction to the latter part of Henry the Third's reign; the sculptured foliage of the capitals on each side, the form of the arch, and the general character of the decorations being evidently characteristic of that period. In all Within the tower, affixed against the north and south walls of the area, are large tables inscribed in | zig-zag form, but there are some distinct variations of character. The length of the church is 106 feet, and its breadth, including the aisles, is 53 feet: the tower is 15 feet square. gilt letters with particulars of the benefactions and other matters relating to this parish, which were placed there by an order of vestry in 1830. following are extracts : The "The Ecclesiastical Benefice of this Church is a perpetual Curacy, being a Donation in the Gift of Trustees under the Will of the Earl of Norwich, who gave a Messuage, (for the Habitation,) Ten loads of Firewood, (for Fuelling,) and a rent charge of £100. a year, payable out of the manor of Claveringbury, for the perpetual supportation and maintenance of such Ministers and Preachers as should officiate the Cure, celebrate Divine Service, administer the Sacraments, and Preach the Word of God, sincerely, within the Church of Waltham Holy Cross." "The Duties in Fees payable in respect of the Soil and Building of this Church, and the Soil of the Church-yard are payable to the Churchwardens in trust for the Parish." The Church estates, which" are vested in trustees for repairing and maintaining the church," are next specified. They consist of meadow and arable lands and two dwelling-houses, the present annual receipts being stated at £91. 14s. The tables of benefactions include the time from 1579 to 1826. The interior of this church consists of a nave and two aisles; the east end of the former being railed in, as the chancel. Six massive columns on each side, (but varying from each other both in diameter and ornament) with their incumbent semicircular arches, separate the nave from the aisles. Spiral grooves, (deeply cut,) proceeding from the base to the capital, diversify two of these columns; and two others are surrounded by indented zig-zags, in successive rows; thus assuming a strict similarity of character with the great columns of the nave in Durham Cathedral.* Another tier of large arches, springing from very short columns and pilasters, surmounts the former arches, on each side; except at the west end, where, as before stated, two of the lower ones have been altered into the high-pointed form, and carried up to the string-course of the triforium, or clerestory, which contains the principal windows that give light to the nave. These are each fronted by a central and two smaller arches, between which and the windows there is a narrow passage extending along the sides. Most of the mouldings are of the *The rebuilding of Durham cathedral was commenced by Bishop William de St. Carilepho, in the Norman style, in the year 1093. It is one of the most interesting fabrics in the kingdom. Independently of its founder Harold, many persons of eminent rank were interred in this church in the monastic times. Hugh Nevil, Protho-forester of England, who died "full of years," anno 1222, was, according to Matthew Paris, buried here “under a noble engraven marble sepulchre ;" not the least remnant of which is now known to exist. His son also, John Nevil, the successor to his revenues and offices; and Robert Passelew, archdeacon of Lewes, a despised and discarded minion of Henry III., who died at his house at Waltham, in the year 1252, were also among the number of those interred here. Near the altar rails is a defaced grey slab, which is indented with a mitred figure; this, with two or three brass plates of Queen Elizabeth's time, are the oldest memorials which now remain. Near the east end of the south aisle is a mural Monument for Sir Edward Denny, Knt.,—“Sonn of ye Right Honorable S' Anthony Denny, Counsellor of Estate and Executor to King Henry 8, and of Joane Champernon, his wife," and his Lady who was the daughter of Pierce Edgecombe, Esq., of Mount Edgecombe, and "svmtime Maide of Honor to Queene Elizabeth,"-and who, "ovt of meane Fortvnes bvt no meane Affection, prodvced this Monvment." Sir Edward was one of the Counsel of Munster, in Ireland, and governor of Kerry and Desmond. He died on the 12th of February, 1599, aged 52 years, and is represented in plate armour, lying on his side: his head is partly supported by his helmet, and partly by his left hand, the elbow resting upon a cushion; his right hand, being brought across the body, rests upon his sword. His Lady has a ruff and close boddice; and kneeling in front are their ten children, viz. four boys and six girls. The inscription states, that "this Worthy Knight, cvt off like a pleasavnt frvite before perfect ripeness,"-was "religiovs, wise, jvst, right valiant, most active, learnings frinde, prides foe, kindly lovinge, and mvtch beloved;" and that "he was honored with ye dignitie of knighthood, by dve deserte, in yo Field.” Over the tomb are the family arms, (with quarterings) viz. Gu. a saltire Arg. between twelve Crosses patée Or.---Edward Denny, first and only Earl of Norwich, of his family, was also buried in this church, in December, 1630. There is a ground plan, a perspective view, and a longitudinal section of the interior of Waltham Church in Britton's "Architectural Antiquities," vol. iii. On a large altar tomb in the north aisle, the front of which displays a ship under sail, sculptured in basrelief, in alabaster, and the ends, shields of arms, &c. is the following inscription: Sub hoc Marmore sepultæ jacent exuvia Navis Onerariæ quondam Gubernatoris ; Integer vitæ, scelerisque purus; Inter marium hostiumque discrimina, Inter res pecuniarias, Res humanas utcunque secundas, tandem pertæsus, Ubi procul negociis, dum Agriculturæ se dedit, Natus fuit apud Banbury, in agro Oxoniensi Nonis Februarii, Æra Christi MDCXXXVII: Ex familiâ antiquâ quidem et olim satis opulenta; Quam postea inclinatam, et ad angustias fortunæ quodammodo redactam Ipse vivens pie sustentavit et moriens probe curavi Ex integrâ valetudine celeri pede ad beatam transîit Duffeild é Medmenham, in Commitatu Buckinghamiensi, Ex quâ, prolem quidem nullam suscepit, Optimæ uxoris egregie præstitit officium; ; Lugubrem (sicut viduam decet) sapienter instituit vitam; Votivam hanc suspendit Tabulam. | strument, standing at the west end of the church, in a new gallery, erected for the purpose in the year 1819. The particulars of Mr. Leverton's benefactions are stated in one of the tables within the tower. A brass plate affixed against one of the great columns, records the memory of an aged couple, viz. Edward Stacy, Gent. (of Waltham), and Katherine, his wife, the former of whom died in Philip and Mary's reign, aged seventy years; and the latter in that of Queen Elizabeth, aged "threescore and eyghtene." Their figures, kneeling, with that of an only son, are engraven on the brass; and below are these lines: This tyme we have desired, Lord, But thow O Lord didst time prolonge Ovr Lives for to amende, That so in tyme wee mighte repente Of All did thee offende. And now, here Lord in clay we lye, Hoping that thow hast chosen vs To rest with thine Elect. The last sepulchral memorial we shall particularize is a mutilated effigy of a female, placed in a corner of the north aisle, but to whom related, or how named, is now forgotten; it is probably of Henry the Eighth's time. Some idea of the former extent of this church may be conceived from stating, that the ancient tomb, considered to be King Harold's, was situated about forty yards from the present termination of the building; in the eastern part of the original choir. This tomb is described as 66 plain," in form, but of " a rich grey marble;" having sculptured on it "a sort of cross fleury, much descanted on by art." Fuller says, that it was supported by "pillarets," one pedestal of which was "in his own possession." In Queen Elizabeth's reign, a gardener, in the service of Sir Edward Denny, discovered, in digging, a large stone coffin inclosing a corpse, supposed to be that of King Harold: but the remains, on touching, mouldered into dust. the same spot, about forty years ago, a second coffin was found, containing an entire skeleton inclosed in lead. Near Against the wall of the north aisle is an inscribed tablet in white marble, with a small figure of an angel mourning over an urn, in memory of Thomas Leverton, Esq. a benefactor to this, his native parish, the donor of its organ, and the founder of its charity schools." He was 66 many years architect and sur- Near the Abbey Mill, which is still occupied for veyor to his Majesty's land revenue, and other public grinding corn, is a wide space of ground, surrounded offices;" but dying on the 23rd of September, 1824, by small dwellings, called the Bramblings, but foraged eighty-one years, his remains were interred in merly Rome-land, which is conjectured to have been the nave. Arms: Gu. three martlets Or, a canton so called from its rents being in former times approErm: crest, a pelican Or.-The organ is a large in-priated to the use of the Holy See. On this spot King Henry VIII. is reported to have had a small pleasure-repaired with bricks of a remarkably large scantling. house, which he frequently occupied on his visits to Waltham.---The statute fair is still held on this piece of land. The Gateway and bridge, represented in the annexed wood-cut, are a little to the northward of the Abbey Mills. The former is of stone, but has been It exhibits two pointed arches, a larger and a smaller one: the outer mouldings of the large arch rest on corbels, formed by two demi-angels supporting shields, on which, (but much corroded) are the royal arms of Edward the Third's time, viz. France and England, quarterly. Beyond the gateway, about two hundred yards to the north-eastward, near a small farm-house, is a dilapidated stone bridge crossing another branch of the river, supported by three strong ribs of an ellip tical form. The various streams of the river Lea, in this neighbourhood, are traditionally said to flow in the same channels that were made by the great King Alfred, when he diverted the current of the river and left the Danish fleet on shore. They are now partly occupied by Government, for the use of the gunpowder mills and other works which have been erected here; and |