The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-09-17

Henry v; the five full size bronze efigies of King
Henry III, King Edward III, King Richard II,
Queen Anne of Bohemia, Queen Eleanor Of Cas-
tile and the efigy of William de Valence and two
or three of stone satuettes in the inches Of
King Henry VS. chantry, which, not having any
structural fastening, liable by cOncussion to
be shaken down and splintered to fragments on
the pavement below; the wooden top of the Con-
fessOr's tomb, made by Abbot Feckenham; the pic
of King Richard II the tapestry hangngs
the banners of the Knights of the Bath and the
old altar frontal.
"(2) strong protective structure consisting Of
baks of timber and sand bags was erected over
the Confessor's tomb. No less than 1100 sand
bags were used for this purpose A similar
ton raised the beautiful tomb of King
Henry III. Sufficiently substantial shields of tim
Der and many sand bags placed over the
marble ehigy of Queen Philppa. Queen Elizabeth
and Mary Queen of Scots disappeared from view
under small mountains of sand bags. The Lady
Margaret received similar attention And par
ucularly substantial breast work and covering of
timber and sand bags formed a solid protection
for the glorious monument of King Henry VII and
his queen at the east end of Henry Wis chapel.
Nothing could probably have averted the destruc-
tion caused by direct hit. But what was most
to be feared the crashing of stone and timber
fragments from the roof
"(3) The glass removed from the three
east cerestory windows and from the west win
dows of the north aisle of the nave. Wood Stats
were substituted, which, though much more draf-
ty infinitely less costly than plain glass. Ine
very ancient glass In the Jerusalem chamber was
also removed and put in safety.
"As matter of fact, the abbey was not
touched by any hostile missile. harvest of our
own shrapnel was collected. But the building
passed unharned through all the terrible time OF
the raids A large German bomb fell about 70
Yards to the southwest just grazing the wall OF
the Abbey Choir school and making huge hole
in the courtyard at the back But 1t did not ex-
pode The damage was trifng, and the choris-
ters who were being kept during the raid on a
lower floor and were singing merrily under the
barrage were at the time quite unconscious OF
their extraordinary escape.
Whole Abbey Quvered.
During the raids most of the occupants of the
official houses repaired for greater security to the
so-calIed Norman undercroft in the cloisters, u
vast chamber beneath the old monks dormitory,
with stout massive Norman columns and strong
stone groned roof. Being desirous as far as pos
sfble TO be the spot in case anything should
happen TO the abbey, we in the deanery used to go
to the foot of little stone staircase leading up to
the southern of the two western towers. 1t was
uossible thus to be In the building and see the
watchman and learn what was going on Ihe
whole abbey seemed to quiver while the heavy bar
rage was being fired the windows ratified, and the
roar of the guns seemed in the empty abbey to
produce an extraordinary resonant effect
VERY careful precautions had been taken
against fire breaking out in the roof. Watchmen
were on guard every night. They were specially
reinforced the occasions when notice was gwen
of hostile attack The water tanks were in good
order the hydrants and hose pipes were contin-
uallv tested: large numbers of buckets were
ready some filed with sand and some with water,
dare say II the emergency had arisen, we could