New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-22
WESTMINSTER ABBEY"
ALFRED NJ. COLLECT IN HIS LECTURE
GIVES THE HISTORY OF ITS
ERECTION.
VARIOUS INTERESTING AND ANCIENT LEGEND!
RELATIVE TO THE EARLY DAYS OF
THEGREAT STRUCTURE.

RELATIVE TO THE EARLY DAYS OF
THETREAT STRUCTURE
"westmIn.ter Abbey" was the subject OF the IL
Illustrated lecture given on Saturday morning by
Alfred NJ Collett at the School Of the Sisters OF
the Church Although Mr. Coett modestly said
that he was able to present only 1.-THE Of the In
terestng facts connected with that great historic
pile, which has been not merely church but also
a city OF no mean dimensions. home at times for
royalty and the scene Of many a magnincent pa
geant. still even those Of his hearers VINO knew
the Abbey came away feeling that they mao pelore
seen It only as in glass. darkly.
Mr. Collett characterized the Abbey as "A hetero-
geneous structure" that can only be understood by
some knowledge OF the history Of its erection.
On the site OF the Abbey certain Roman remains
have been found that afford some basis for the
theory put forth by Sir Walter Besant In his latest
book that a Roman city once stood there Al
though the theory is interesting and seems to be
supported by certain facts. Mr.. coHett peHeVes
that 1t Is only creation OF sir waiter peasant
brain There are various ancient legends relative
to the earliest history OF the Abbey The most ac-
cepted one Is that OF the Saxon King Seberth. and
Edrc the fisherman. II was quoted by the monks
throughout the Middle Ages In support OF their
claim that Westminster was as old and honoraoe
as ST. Paul's. formerly known as Eastminster'
The story runs that on the evening before the
church was TO be consecrated by King Seperth ana
Bishop Melitus a certain fisherman named Edric
was unlawfully following his trade on the hoiy
Sabbath day when a stranger appeared on the
river bank and begged 10 be ferried across to the
church When they reached the Abbey Edric saw
to his amazement, that heavenly hosts came ana
assisted the stranger 20 consecrate the chu'0"'
The stranger then declared that he was the Apos-
tie Peter and told Edric that he should on the next
day inform the King and the Bishop OF what ne
had seen As a proof OF the reality OF his VISION
IN. conservation crosses should be left and the
drippings from the OF the angelic canules 81
Peter next enioined Edric never TO fish again on
Sunday and bade him offer TO God a tthe Oh an
the fish he should henceforth catch
Pc the legend as It may Westminster Abbey was
probably founded in the seventh or eighth century,
aifhough the venerable Bede makes no mention OF
4, in hIs eccleslasfica history 1t is certain, now
ever that in geo St Dunstan brought thltner .meNo
Renedictine monks and established a monastery
~ IOfO Edward the Confessor rebuilt the chapel IN
the new Norman style Of architecture tnat "aS Jus
6 62mns IN the e'. Norman conquest
The next change In the Abbey was peguh un seI
Henry III who lived in the thirteenth century. when
mat great burst OF art was felt throughout me CIVIL
lied world The Salisbury and Lincoln cam a. ~ !.
OF rerodeillng Westminster. He sent TO France Tor
designs and spared expense IN executing lleiil5;
So elaborate was the work. however. that Il could
not be completed In one generation. and at the time
of Henry VII II still going on. - 1,,s5to
Mr. Collett thinks that church OF the Middle
Ages has an Interior that quite subtle and oeau-
tifui The coal smoke Of London gradually disin-
tegrated the walls OF the Abbey, and Sir siiristo-
pher Wren was employed to restore them. Inc eH,
terlor Of the Abbey presents the appeardhue ~,
the most wonderful patchwork IN england og' IN
the interior a great deal OF the lovely WORK OF 'h'
thirteenth century is still seen 49,, =.
Among the seventy stereoptcon views shown by
Mr. ,ollet were several interesting old reprints tna'
depict Westminster Hall az 1t used 10 be ne Iec,-
urer pointed particularly the changes that nav
been made in the external appearance OF the ncrth
,ransenf He showed the old Solomon's Porch Of the
seventeenth century. Wrens changes mace la'er arc
the finishing touches put on by Gilbert Scott HOW
ever one NAV crlticse the detail Work done Dy oir
Christopher Wren. I, must be acknowledged. sara
the sneaker that ne always understood proportion,
and has succeeded admirably In giving genera
SteD bv step the lecturer conducted his hearers
through the various transepts and chapels OF ne
Abbey pointing out the beauties or the statesmen
corner the poets corner. the apse the chapeir me
shrines the tombs the monuments, the amouatoty,
tho chantrv Of Henry V the cloisters. the deanery
and the many other characteristic features o. INA,
ancient trea sure house. The lecture was enIvened
by MANY Interesting stories and CLEANS or numor
that will make those who heard MI Collett renern-
her him az very entertaining well az instructive
lecturer.