Journal of Proceedings. vii
was of Harold's age. The Church built by Harold was consecrated
about 1059; that was known to be the case because the names of
the Archbishop and Bishops who attended the ceremony were all
preserved, and the dates of their episcopates were known. Edward the
Confessor and his Queen were also present at the consecration of the
Church. From 1059 until 1177 no very great alteration took place in the
Church; but at the latter date Henry the Second altered Harold's
foundation altogether, by making it for monks instead of seculars. The
large monastic buildings necessary for the accommodation of the abbot
and monks which existed to the north of the Church were then erected;
but he fancied that at that time there must have been some slight
alteration made in the Church itself in regard to ornamentation—it
occurred to him, from the existence of some chevrons, that they were then
rather displeased with the baldness and plainness of some of the work
and tried to improve it. It would be as well if those present would try to
realise what the Church had been. It was just probable that in 1177 the
original choir of Harold was extended farther to the east. Alluding to
the Lady Chapel, Mr. Birch described it as a very beautiful little building,
and said that the architectural work of the Chapel was almost unique in
its sort; he knew very little work like that in England. Referring to
other points in connection with the Church, Mr. Birch said that the
existing tower at the west end was built in 1558. The baptismal font was
the ancient one. It was composed of a beautiful block of Purbeck marble;
but the shape had been altered, so that its present form was modern.
Under Mr. Birch's guidance a thorough inspection of the Church was
made, both inside and out. The only large tree in the churchyard is an
Elm, supposed to be 300 or 400 years old; it measures 22 feet round the
base, and 20 feet round the centre of the trunk, the height from the
ground to the head being 12 feet; the main limbs were lopped off, but the
tree is still living. The Abbey-grounds were visited, and on the north-
east side of the churchyard, in Mr. King's garden, an ancient groined
building called the "Potato Cellar," from its present ignoble use. Mr.
Birch said in regard to this room that he did not think it was originally a
chapel, as it ran from north to south; he thought that it was a portion of
the Abbot's house or hospicium. As to the fact of the room being now
unlighted by windows, there were traces of the wall having been disturbed,
and it might very likely have been originally lighted by lancet windows ;
but Mr. Winters pointed out a ring which still remains in the centre of
the groined ceiling, from which a lamp may have been suspended.
The Vicar had most kindly placed his private school-room at the
disposal of the Council, and in it a kind of temporary Museum had been
gathered together, chiefly by the exertions of Mr. Wakefield and Dr.
Priest. The objects were very well displayed in the well-furnished room.
Amongst other things Mr. Wakefield exhibited some coins found at
Waltham Abbey ; a series of 17th century tokens from Waltham, Col-
chester, and other Essex towns; seals, &c.; also a long and valuable series