Westminster abbey, its architecture, history and monuments . e of 1348, and all, accordingto the record, were committed to a com-mon grave in this walk. Near by are three very interestingStone Effigies which formed the coffinlids of three early abbots, the oldest grave-stones in the Abbey and commemoratingthree of the oldest names. The stoneswere originally set with their coffins, inthe midst of the pavement, but becomingmuch worn by the feet of passers-by, ascentury after century went on, they wereremoved in 1752 and placed beneath thestone bench for protection. At that timethe names of eight
Westminster abbey, its architecture, history and monuments . e of 1348, and all, accordingto the record, were committed to a com-mon grave in this walk. Near by are three very interestingStone Effigies which formed the coffinlids of three early abbots, the oldest grave-stones in the Abbey and commemoratingthree of the oldest names. The stoneswere originally set with their coffins, inthe midst of the pavement, but becomingmuch worn by the feet of passers-by, ascentury after century went on, they wereremoved in 1752 and placed beneath thestone bench for protection. At that timethe names of eight abbots who ruled themonastery in the years immediately fol-lowing the Conquest and known to havebeen buried In this walk, were cut on theledge of the stone bench, where they nowremain. The three effigies are of peculiar In-terest from their early date; no sepulchralstatue of a date prior to the Conquestbeing known to exist in England today.(Flaxman.) Which of the eight abbotsthey represent is not known, the namesInscribed above them being obviously In-742. The Abbots Effigies ix thf South Cloistek The Cloister and Chapter House correct since the middle effigy is evidentlythe oldest. Dean Robinson names themLaurence, Gislebert and Humez, and thisis probably correct as to the three, sincein the list of burials these are the onlyones named to whom effigies are attrib-uted. Only one is now thought to weara mitre: but Dart, writing in 1723, saysthat two had mitres, and so representsthem in his engraving (but the mitres inhis engraving are of much later date thanthe effigies). Stanley doubted the exist-ence of a mitre on the figure supposed torepresent Laurence: and there is no reasonto suggest one since, although it wasthrough this abbots exertions that theprivileges of a mitred abbey were securedfor Westminster, he did not live to enjoythe privilege. The central, apparently the oldest ef-figy, then, probably represents Gislebertor Gilbert Crispin (d. 1114), a Normanof distinguishe
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