The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-21 00:00:00

ST. PETER'S, WESTMINSTER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR—In reference to the letters which have ap-
peared in your valuable. Journal, as to the rights
exercised and claimed by the Dean, Chapter, and
Officers of this collegiate church, it may not be un-
amusing to your readers, and particularly to those
interested in the result of the intended inquiry, to
advert to the origin of this very ancient establish-
ment, and to the interference which the Govern-
ment have, from time . to time, exercised over its
internal arrangements, privileges, and immunities.
It has been asserted by some historians that this
church was first built towards the latter end of the
second century, by King Lucius, and by others, that
it was erected by Sebert, King of the East Saxons,
in the beginning of the seventh century. It seems,
however, most probably to have been built towards
the middle of the eighth, as it appears by the
Saxon Chronicle that the :S4xons took up their
winter quarters in 839, 8.51, 872,. and 879, when it
was forsaken by the monks and lay in ruins.
In a M.S. in the Library of the Dean and Chap-
ter, will be found the names of several persons who
presided there previous to the appointment of Flete,
a monk of the Abbey;, -in the ..rettfn of Henry the
Sixth.

Upon Dunstan's appointment as administrator of
the Bishopric of London, he prevailed upon King
Edgar to restore the monastery, and having obtained
some lands, which formerly belonged to th Church,
he brought from Glastonbury, (where he himself had
been abbot), twelve monks, and converted it into a
small monastery of the Benedictine Order.
What the PRIVILEGES WERE that Dunstan ob-
tained from King Edgar, or what HE (in his special
favour, as in these times) VOUCHSAFED TO GRANT TO
THE MONKS, is not known, but some charters were
subsequently produced, particularising certain rights
and privileges, as belonging to the abbot and monks,
but which were ultimately proved beyond all doubt
to be forgeries.
The monastery received some benefactions at
ilampsted from King Etheldred, in the year 986,
and some lands were devised to it, by the will of
one Leofwyn in 998, situtte at Kelvedon and Mar-
shall, Essex.
About 1049 the old church uas pulled down
and rebuilt by the Confessor, who endowed it with
very large revenues, and many of the King's officers
were also very liberal in their benefactions. As to
the privileges granted by the Confessor, there is no
record, but it is presumed they were only such as
were granted to other religious houses; it is, how-
ever, stated, that he stipulated for its being 4' the
BURIAL PLACE FOR HIMSELF AND HIS SUCCESSORS."
William the Conqueror appears to have con-
firmed to the church most of the lands given to it
by the Confessor, and in addition he gave the manors
of Battersea, Wandsworth, and Pyriford, in Surrey,
and of Wokington and Fering, in Essex.
In 1245 the greatest part of the church was
pulled down by King Henry the Third, with the
view of its being rebuilt according to its present
state, and previous to his death (1272), he completed
the eastern part of the church, and gave to it several
charters of privileges (among which were two fairs,
to be held annually, in the Sanctuary, of 16 days
each, and a market on Mondays, at Touthull, or
Tuthill.)
The rebuilding seems to have been in a great
degree suspended until 1418, when the west part
was carried on with great application, and a con-
siderable portion of it finished (except the two
towers) about the year 1500.
In 1502-3 the building Of Henry Vll.'s Chapel
was begun, and the King gave several estates to the
monastery, for the maintenance of three additional
monks, two lay brothers, three students, twelve
almsmen, and three old women to attend them.
On the 16th January, 1539-40, this monastery,
with the abbot and 24 monks, were dissolved. The
yearly value at that time of rents, &c. accruing to
the church, according to Speed, amounting to
3,9771.65. 4id., but by Dugdale, only to 3,1711. 2id.