It runs as follows: [17] “In the tyme that Kinge Cnut reigned in Ingland theare lyved at a Place of the called comonly Lutegarsbyry, in French Montague, a simple man by occupation a carpenter and by Office Sexton of his parishe, to whom on a Night appeared a Vision of Christe Crucified commaundinge him that as sone as Day brake he should goe to the parishe priest and with him accompanied by his parishioners in solemne processione to go up to the Toppe of the Hyll adjoyninge and to digge wheare (if they would beforehand make theimselves by Confession, Fastinge, and Praier worthy of suche a Revelacion) they should finde a Crosse, the very sign of Christes passion. This plaine Man, supposinge it a fantastical Dreame, tooke at first no great Head thereof, save that, he imparted it with his Wife who also thought it but an Illusion. Wherefore the Image appeared againe, and so griped him by the Hande that the Dynt of the Nayles remayned in his Hand to be sene the Daye followinge. Being thus pricked forwarde on he goeth to the Priest and discloseth the hole matter. He arrayeth his Parishe, displayeth his Banners, putteth on Copes and Surplas, and setteth the Carpenter foremost as his Captaine, they digge awhile and anone they find a great Marble havinge in it of black Flynt the Image of the Crucifixe so artificially wroughte as if God himselfe (sayth myne Auteur) had framed it. Under the right Arme of this Crucifixe thear was a small Image of the same Forme, a litle Belle also, and a black Booke conteyninge the Text of the four Evangelists. All this they signified to Tovi le Prude then Lord of the Soyle, Standarde Bearer to the Kinge and his Chief Councelor, who came to the place in great Hast and by the advice of his Gents lefte the smalle cross in the Churche theare determyninge to bestow the greater in suche Place as God should appointe. Forthewithe therefore he caused to be yoked twelve red Oxen and so many white Kyne and layeth the Stone in a Wayne myning if God so wille to cary it to Canterbyrye, but the Cattle could not by any Force be compelled to draw thytherwarde. When he saw that he changed his Mynde and bad theim dryve toward his House at Readinge whearin he had great Delighte, but still the Wayne stode immoveable notwithstandinge that the Oxen did thear best. At the Lengthe he remembered a small House that he had begone to buyld at Waltham for his Disporte and commanded them to make thytherward. Which words he had no soner spoken but the Wayne of itselfe moved. Now in the way many weare healed of many Infirmities; amongste the whiche threscore sixe Parsons’ [18] vowed their labour towarde the Conveiance of this Crosse, and weare the first Founders of Waltham Towne wheare was nothing before but only a simple House for this Tovi to repose himself at when he came thyther to hunte notwithstandinge that he had thereby divers Landes, as Enfield, Edelmetun, Cetrehunt, Myms, and the hole Baronie that Goffrey of Maundville the first of that name had. Now when the Crosse was broughte thyther, Tovi commaunded it to be set up, and while one by Chaunce perced it with a Nayle the Blood issued out of the Flinte in great Abundance. Whereat Tovi beinge greatly amazed, fel downe and worshipped it promiseth before it to manumittee [20] his Bondmen to bestow possession on such as should deserve it.”
The cross gave its name to the place, and over a long series of years attracted crowds of the devote, the maimed, and diseased to the place. In 1192 the cross was covered with silver, but the figure of Christ was left untouched by reason, it is surmised, of a remarkable incident that had happened a few years previously. On that occasion, the crucifix being under repair, Robert the Goldsmith, of St. Albans, removed the circlet round the thigh, when all present were stricken blind for a considerable time.
Harold’s Minster.
On the site of Tovi’s foundation Earl Harold, upon whom Waltham and vast lands had been bestowed by Edward the Confessor, reared and endowed a magnificent church, which he intended to rival in beauty and importance King Edward’s abbey church at Westminster. The dean and twelve secular Black canons who formed the ecclesiastical constitution of Harold’s foundation, were amply provided for, each of the latter having a manor and the dean six manors for his maintenance. In later times (1177) Henry II., on the ground that the canons had grown wasteful and corrupt, substituted for Harold’s foundation an Augustinian priory, then, seven years later, raised this to the dignity of an Abbey, installing Walter de Gaunt, of Oseney, as the first abbot.
Harold’s church was splendidly adorned, in a manner that suggests, as the late Bishop Stubbs observes, that the founder had been influenced by Eastern art. Brazen plates, gilt, were spread over the walls, the capitals and bases of the massive pillars were curiously carved and wreathed with the gilded metal; the altar was enriched with elaborate ornaments, the furniture, reliquaries, and vestments were provided on a liberal scale. Numerous relics, in addition to the miraculous crucifix, formed part of the endowment. The consecration of the church probably took place on May 3, 1060, the Feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross, which became one of the fair days under the charter of Matilda. Kinsinge, Archbishop of York, performed the ceremony of consecration, assisted by most of the English bishops. King Edward and his queen Edith, sister of Harold, and the flower of the nobility, were present.
It was here that, scarce six years later, Harold, on his return from Stamford Bridge, had news of the Norman invasion. He stayed for the night at his mansion in the park at Nazeing, still called Harold’s Park, and on the morrow offered up prayers for his success in the Abbey. It is recorded that the figure of the Saviour on the wondrous crucifix bowed the head as if to express sorrow for his inevitable fate. He set out for Senlac accompanied by two of the canons, who, if the omen were fulfilled, were bidden to bring back with them the body of the founder. Harold’s war-cry was “Holy Rood.” The canons, true to their trust, recovered the king’s body, by the aid of Harold’s old love, Editha the “Swan-necked,” and brought it to Waltham with all possible honours. Here the remains were interred, being translated from time to time as alterations and additions to the church necessitated (it was not finally completed until 1125), finding a final resting place near the great altar, about 140 feet from the present east end of the church. Here a most beautiful and imposing tomb was erected, but all that remains of this is a curious piece of carved ironstone representing the face of a warrior, which, after many vicissitudes, including its use as a fountain ornament, was returned to the possession of the church a few years ago, and now reposes on the tomb of Robert Smith in the chancel.
To the antiquary, the student, and the lover of all that is beautiful in architecture, the ancient minster offers a boundless store of interest. In the course of his scholarly observations upon the architecture and history of the abbey church the late Professor Freeman says: “Barbarous mutilations and hardly less barbarous additions have entirely destroyed its character, as seen from without, and even within, both mediæval alterations of the strangest kind and the accumulated enormities of more recent days have gone far to ruin the general effect of the original building. Still a large portion of the original interior remains untouched; an interior deserving attentive study as one of the noblest specimens of Northern Romanesque, and invested with a yet higher interest if we may regard it as called into being by the taste and bounty of the last of our native kings.”
The noble edifice was cruciform in plan, with a nave and aisles (all that now remain), choir, and central tower. The spring of one of the great arches upon which this latter stood, is plainly visible at the present east end. This tower fell in 1552, doubtless owing to the destruction of the choir, and the present western tower was erected about five years later out of the fragments. The nave consists of seven bays, and is 109 feet long from east to west, by 55 feet wide, and from the floor to the beautifully painted ceiling, the work of Sir E. J. Poynter, is a height of 52 feet. Upon the great pillars that support the arches will be noticed the spiral and chevron indenting, originally filled with chased and gilt metal. In some places the rivet holes are still discernible. The aisles were originally vaulted, and the triforium passage above was lighted by the circular windows that will be noticed. There are three tiers of arches: the nave or arcade, the triforium, and the clerestory. The Rev. J. H. Stamp, in his excellent little history of Waltham, says of the plan and design of the church that whilst the cruciform plan was significant of Christ crucified, the twelve pillars represented the apostles, and the three tiers of arches the Holy Trinity.
