Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-04
WAlTAAM HOLY CROSS.
An Ancient English village seldom Visited b,
Tourists.
(All Rights Reserved.)

London, Eng, Oct II, 1897.
There are many places in England
practically unknown to the tourist
which are not only naturally beautiful
but are celebrated in history and in
teresting on that account It Is only
by chance that one discovers these out
Of the-way places, especially If one be
foreigner, but, once found, the alb
sence Of crowd of chattering, curious
people gives a greater charm to the
place.
There is a little village in Essex
called Waltham Holy Cross. It is
scarcely an hours ride from London,
and stands in the midst of Epping
Forest. The town is generally called
Waltham Abbey on account Of its
beautiful church which once formed
part of large monastery. 1t is a very
ancient village dating from the time Of
Canute, when Tow lie Prude, standard
bearer to the great Danish king used
to go there to hunt in the forest. In
course of time Tovis >little hunting
lodge became surrounded by the huts
of his retainers, and finally Tow
founded a small convent and appointed
two priests to conduct the services.
This was the nucleus of the present
town of Waltham Holy Cross.
But the name of Harold, the last of
the Saxon kings of Britain is more
closely connected with the annals Of
Waltham than that Of Tow. In the
time of Edward the Confessor, the es-
tates Of Waltham became the property
of the crown and were given by Ed
ward to his brotherin-law, Harold.
Harold either rebuilt or enlarged Tovi's
church, and dedicated it to the Holy
Cross" hence the name Of the town.
Everyone knows the sad story of
Harold's short reign, and his defeat
and death on the battlefield of Hast
ings. 1t is said that Harold spent the
night before the battle at Waltham TO
pay a farewell visit to Edith, his
cousin and sweetheart. No one knows
for sure where Harold's body was
buried. Some say that William the
Conqueror refused to allow him Chris
tan burial, and his soldiers dug a
grave on the seashore and buried him
there. Another story runs that his
body could not at first be found until
Edith came to the assistance of those
who We're searching for it. She dis
covered ii under a pile of the slain and
she took it and buried it at Waltham
Abbey. After this Edith took the veil
and became Abbess of Waltham Alb
hey. We were shown over the abbey
by the landlord of the Cock Inn,"
fine soldierlylooking old man with
snow white hair and beard He firmly
believes that the body of Harold is
buried somewhere within the precincts
of the abbey, and he thinks the spot is
about 125 feet from the present east
end of the church.
The tower of the church is compare
lively modern. and is by no means
handsome. The original tower stood
in the centre of the church, but it fell
and the present tower was erected in
1858. The pillars which support the
roof of the church are ornamented
with zig-Zag mouldings, which Were
once filled in with brass which was
taken away by the followers of Oliver
Cromwell. This Zig-Zag ornamental
ton is peculiar to buildings erected
during the reigns of Edward the Con-
fessor and Harold.
The lady chapel of the abbey is or
the south side of the church is con
s.dered almost the finest specimens Of
medieval architecture in this country.
1t was probably founded during the
reign of Edward III. Beneath this
chapel is crypt, with three brick
vaults containing several bodies.
Some distance away from the church
is another small chapel. which is used
now as a place for growing mush-
rooms! Near this chapel is subter-
ranean passage which tradition say:
leads to Chestnut nunnery.
The old abbey gates are still stand
ing and are very handsome They
consist of two pointed arches, one
large and one smaller. The TOP
of each large arch bears tn,
arms of Henry III. This gate was one
of the entrances to the abbot's house,
the wall of which is still standing. The
bricks used are remarkably large, some
of them being Is inches by three and
a half.
In the churchyard stands huge elm
tree which is supposed to be from five
to six centuries old. 1t measures 20
feet round the trunk.
About quarter Of a mile from the
town stands an old cross known as the