The Children's Story of Westminster Abbey

by G. E. Troutbeck

Another very interesting part of the monastic buildings was the Refectory, or dining-hall of the monks. The first Refectory was built, probably, in the early Norman times, and was a stately room. It was rebuilt in the reign of Edward III, when it was made still larger, and only the lower part of the old Norman walls was kept. Some of this Norman wall can still be seen.

In the book of the “Customs” of the monastery, or “Consuetudines,” as the long Latin name goes, are very strict rules about behaviour at meals. No monk might speak at all, and even the guests might only whisper. No one was to sit with his hand on his chin, or with his hand over his head, because that might look as if he were in pain. No one might lean on his elbows, or stare, or crack nuts with his teeth. All these old rules seem to be very good ones, and might be useful to some people in the twentieth century.

But the Refectory is interesting for many historical reasons. Here, in 1252, Henry III swore to observe Magna Charta. Henry, standing with the Book of the Gospels in one hand and a lighted taper in the other, and surrounded by the Archbishops and other great clergy, took his solemn oath. Upon this they all dashed their tapers on the ground, saying “So go out, with smoke and stench, the accursed souls of those who break or pervert the Charter.”

In 1294, Edward I held a great council of clergy and laity in the Refectory at Westminster. On this occasion the King was demanding a subsidy of half their possessions, to the consternation of the assembled council. The Dean of St. Paul’s was trying to persuade the King not to ask so much, and in his anxiety and excitement the poor man fell dead at Edward’s feet. The old history says that Edward took very little notice,—“passed over this event with indifferent eyes,” and insisted on having what he asked.

It was in the Refectory that the Commons impeached Piers Gaveston, the favourite and bad adviser of Edward II. And besides this, the Commons met here several times during the reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V, so we see that this great hall has been very closely connected with the history of England.

It is supposed that part of the large quantity of stone granted to Protector Somerset was taken from the Refectory. This stone was used by him in the building of Somerset House.

Another important part of the monastery was the Infirmary, the place where the old and infirm monks lived in their old age. It stood on the site of what is now called the Little Cloister, but the present Little Cloister is much more modern, and belongs to what is called the “Jacobean” time.

The low, barrel-vaulted passages which lead from the Great Cloister to the site of the old Infirmary are some of the very oldest parts of the Abbey buildings, as they were built, if not actually during the Confessor’s lifetime, at any rate by the first Norman Kings. They are therefore more than 800 years old. In one of the ancient Norman rooms, below the former Dormitory of the monks, the Dean and Chapter have lately arranged a very interesting kind of museum, containing various fragments of old carving and other valuable relics of former times. There, too, have been placed the very oldest of the wax effigies, which are too battered and ragged to be shown with the others in the Islip Chantry. Here are the rather ghastly remains of the effigies of Edward III and Philippa, Henry V and Katherine de Valois, of Mary Tudor and some others.

Round to the left, through an even darker bit of Cloister, was the Infirmary, of which we were just now speaking. The Infirmary was almost a monastery in itself, having a cloister, a garden, and a very beautiful chapel of its own. This chapel was built in the twelfth century, and was dedicated to St. Katherine. Some of its arches still remain in the garden of one of the modern houses. Many interesting things took place in St. Katherine’s Chapel. One of these was a famous struggle between the Archbishops of Canterbury and York as to which was to sit in the chief place on the right hand of the Papal Legate. It was settled that the Archbishop of Canterbury was to have the precedence, and be called “Primate of all England.” Another interesting event connected with St. Katherine’s Chapel, and a pleasanter one to think of, is the consecration of St. Hugh of Lincoln in 1186. St. Hugh was a pupil and disciple of St. Bruno, and came to his northern bishopric from the famous monastery of the Grande Chartreuse in the south of France. The old garden of the Infirmary is still the Abbey garden, and lies just beyond the Little Cloister. Close to it is the ancient Jewel House, where the King’s jewels used to be kept. It was built by Richard II on a piece of ground which was bought from the Abbey by Edward III in the last year of his reign.

Other parts of the monastery, such as the granary, the malt-house, brew-house, and bake-house, stood in the square or court which is now called Dean’s Yard. Parts of some of these ancient buildings still remain below the modern houses. We shall hear of the granary again, in another chapter.