The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-25
NOTABLE THINGS AT WESTMINSTER SEEN BY FEW VII

several centuries 1t has survived at
Westminster almost by accident, aud the
Abbey authorities regard it with a jealous
eye.
OF course, by far the most interesting Of
the various buildings contiguous to the
Abbey church is the deanery, house
which will long he associated with the
name OF Dean Stanley Into its more
private recesses we do not propose to enter.
but there are number of state apartments
belonging to the deanery which are shown
from time to time to u privileged few.
1t must be remembered that the Abbot
of Westminster in olden times was a vcryim.
| poIta 1t parsonage indeed, and that he hads
seat in the House of Lords and was tx.
pected to do a great amount of entertaining
in his own home. This, then the Abbot's
place or palace, has now become the dean.
cry, and very brief study Of Abbey history
serves to show that the Dean of Vest
minister has inherited large number Of
the privileges and characteristics of his
ecclesiastical ancestor, the Abbot,
| We pass inside little quadrangle known
az the Abbot's courtyard and up flight
of stone steps. The door opens and we
see a passage in front of Us and two
other doors to the left and right. The
| first OF these leads directly into the Abbey,
and that on the right into the deanery,
so that it is possible for the Dean of West.
minister, II he so wills, TO attend divine
service under cover all the way and without
even changing his slippers.
The doorway to the left leads imme.
di ltely into the beautifully panelled Jericho
parlor bull ding which was constructed
in the reign of Henry VII, as its orna-
mentation shows, by another famous Abbot,
John Islip by name. The word Tudor
seems to be stamped all over this room
From Jericho it is but n short cry 10
Jerusalem. Only a few feet Of passage
intervenes between the Jericho parlor
which must have been kind of state ante
room, and the celebrated Jerusalem Cham
ber the state drawing ROOM AZ it we're.
ANYTHING more expllisitely beautiful than
this room it would be difficult to conceive.
The ma, CHESS tracery of its three windows
it's graceful shape. it's handsomely carved
man.elpiece. its fascinating tapestry and
frescoes, all combine to render visit 10
his world renowned chamber memorable
event Built in the reign of Richard II.
by Abbot Littington. 1t was destined ere
another generation had passed away 10
witness the death struggle OF famous
| English sovereign, Henry ~.
| Bear me to the chamber and there ut me he
In that Jerusalem shall Harry die.
Here the Westminster Assembly Of Divines
met during the stormy period of the great
civil war, and here for many years did the
revisers of the Old and New Testaments
hold their monthly meetings.
At the time of a coronation the Jerusalem
Chamber springs into prominence, for on
the eve OF the ceremony the regalia are
conveyed here by mounted Escort and
placed in the custody of the Dean and
chapter, while during the night and until
the ceremony is ready to take place they
are watched over by the Yeomen OF the
Guard in their picturesque costumes
As we leave the Jerusalem Chamber We
make sharp turn to the right through
another doorway. also part OF the Abbots
Place and originally used apparently as a
state dining room. II is now known as
the College Hall, for here the forty resident
scholars of Westminster school have their
meals day by day. In architecture II
closely resembles the Jerusalem Chamber.
as, indeed. is only natural. seeing that It Is
the work OF the "a me hand; but 1t contai11s
things of interest of a later date, notably
a beautiful Elizabethan minstrel gallery
at one end and two or more massive tables
which are additionally believed to have
been carved out Of a portion of the wreckage
OF the Invincible Armada.