The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-09-08
NAVE OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
Story of Its Building During i5o
Years.

Tears.
AT meeting of the British acad-
envy the dean Of Westminster pre-
scented a paper of unusual historical
interest. The paper was based on in
Vestigations of the Westminster fab
ric rolls. and stated that the nave OF
Westminster was $50 years in build
ing The money for it came from
certain OF the revenues of the monas-
terry which were assigned to the Novum
opus, and were administered by a
warden who was responsible for the
building. These revenues come from
Longdon in Worcestershire, some
houses in Kink street and Tothill
street, Westminster, from the manors
of Hyde and Paddington, and late.
from lands in Westbourne and Ken
slngton. But further help was nee.
cd, and it is historically interesting
10 trace the share In the WOE taken
by kings and abbots. It's origin was
due TO Cardinal Simon Langham, who
had been abbot of Westminster and
fortified by his pecuniary help Mich
olas Litlyngton laid the first stone
OF the new nave on March 3. 1876.
Richard III helped the work i'm tie
last 10 years of his reign, when the
marble pillars were set up. Under
Henry Nv the work ceased altogether
Henry V atoned for this by making
himself responsible for it. He gave
1000 marks a year, and one of his
commissioners was the famous Dick"
Wilmington. In this reign the tri-
forum was completed, the side aisles
rooted, and the clerestory walls well
advanced. Unfortunately Henry V
died after nine years, and Henry vi
did nothing for the abbey.
The work languished until 1867,
when Abbot George NORWICH was de-
rosed by a revolution in the convent,
and the next year Thomas Millyng
took up the work with renewed vigor.
He rooted one bay, and his work was
carried on to its completion by the
abbots who succeeded him, and who
appointed themselves wardens. Mill
wig became abbot in 1869, and when
Edward Tvs queen fed to Westmin-
ster 10 take sanctuary in 1910, Mill
yns received her Hospitality, and
stood godfather to the young prince.
Edward v. who was born In his house.
Consequently after Edward Tvs re-
turn he with the queen and prince
gave gifts to the work, amounting IN
all to ESQ; and soon after Millyng
Vas made bishop Of Hereford U474).
John Esteney, who had been warden
since 1471, succeeded him as abbot;
and in his long wardenship of 26
years he rooted the nave, vaulted five
bays of the nave and the side aisles.
and finished the great west window.
In fact. Esteney practically completed
the fabric, and of al the builders
Except perhaps Henry W most de-
serves our gratitude.
His successor, George Fasset (149s-
1900. gave a6O0 to the work, which
was finished by the last great abbot,
John Islip G5OO-1532). He finished
off what Esteney had left undOne in
the vaulting and at the western gable
end. Then he glazed the windows in
1507-l5lc, paved the floor (1510-15l7,
and put up some stone screens under
the towers which have now disap-
peared We may date the completion
of the work 1928. Islip enjoyed the
confidence of Henry VII. who had
done nothing for the abbey in Este
ney's time, but after Islip had become
abbot began to build the great Lady
chapel which bears his name; and
the abbot put Henry's badges upon
his new vaulting. Islip also rebuilt
the chapel of St. Margarets, and he
was at work upon the western towers
when he died in 1892. His death was
uraAffcaIIv tha end Of h0fh of the