. Westminster Abbey : its memories and its message . rtant parts of the monastic buildings. To recon-struct such a vast range was a task demanding huge sums ofmoney and a long period of time. It would absorb completelythe revenues of the foundation, and as we know, there wasnow no royal fund available. The calamity prevented anypossibility of commencing the nave for many years. Temporarywooden buildings were put up, to be replaced in stone as timeand funds allowed ; and the earliest portion of this new work(a very interesting bit at the southern end of the east cloister)was done by Byrcheston,
. Westminster Abbey : its memories and its message . rtant parts of the monastic buildings. To recon-struct such a vast range was a task demanding huge sums ofmoney and a long period of time. It would absorb completelythe revenues of the foundation, and as we know, there wasnow no royal fund available. The calamity prevented anypossibility of commencing the nave for many years. Temporarywooden buildings were put up, to be replaced in stone as timeand funds allowed ; and the earliest portion of this new work(a very interesting bit at the southern end of the east cloister)was done by Byrcheston, who succeeded to the Abbacy in 1344- The great Langham followed, projecting and commencing immense works which Litlington, who succeeded him, completed and took the credit for. These comprised the rebuilding of the infirmary, the dormitory (now a part of Westminster School), together with the cellarers offices and guest house, the water-mill and its dam, the Abbots hall (now the deanery), including the Jerusalem Chamber, where Henry IV died; as 64. ^«.^ A BENEDICTINE MONASTERY well as the southern walk of the cloister and the greater partof the western walk. In the bosses of some of the vaults herewill be found the initials N. L. by which the hardy Litlingtonsigned the work as his. Langham had a strong desire to commence the new nave;and one may well imagine that this large scheme of domesticconstruction which he had imposed upon himself irked himnot a little. He pushed it forward for twelve years ; but itwas still unfinished when he was made Cardinal and wentaway to France. He did not forget his convent, however;and from Avignon he sent a generous promise to pay an annualsum so long as he lived toward the project that he held so 1376, therefore, by grace of Langhams munificence,the nave was begun; and the first stone of it was laid byLitlington. There is a letter of this year from Litlington tothe Cardinal, in which he says, in tones which are the echo ofhis characte
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectwestmin, bookyear1921
