I was requested to give a cross for the altar. I had a copy made of the celebrated Celtic “Cross of Cong.” I also presented an altar-cloth of old crimson Italian damask (from Florence). A dove, embroidered in different tones of gold and silver thread, decorates the frontal. Mr. Windley thought fit to cut and alter this altar-cloth, adding an unsuitable top and fringe, and spoiling the effect of the chancel by covering the pink alabaster with cheap, ugly, woven materials. The effect of the delicate lines of the Celtic cross and the crimson damask are by this treatment utterly ruined.
Florence C. M. Antrobus.
February 9th, 1908.
AMESBURY ABBEY: ITS HISTORY, ANCIENT AND MODERN.
The river Avon, on its course to the sea, passes through a beautiful, thickly wooded valley in Wiltshire, in which lies Amesbury, or, to follow the old spelling, Ambresbury, signifying the land of Ambrosius. This fascinating place, and the wild country surrounding it, possess a charm and beauty all their own, and those born and bred there ever pine for the breezy downs, as the Swiss for their mountains or north-country people for the moorland; and no one who has walked or ridden on some glorious summer morning over the fine, close grass clothing these Wiltshire downs can ever forget its delicious “springy” quality underfoot. A talented modern artist once happily christened Amesbury “The Golden Valley;” he saw it in the spring, at which season of the year the whole country-side seems ablaze with brilliant yellow flowers.
Amesbury lies eight miles north of Salisbury, and we may consider that it occupies a space in the midst of that vast tract of undulating country that (somewhat erroneously to my mind) is given the name of “Salisbury Plain.” I now propose to trace, as briefly as I can, some of the history of this interesting and beautiful place. Its antiquity is so great as to take us back to pre-historic times. In its near neighbourhood many desperate battles were fought between Briton, Saxon, and Roman with varying success. Lewis, in his ancient History of Britain, says: “In the reign of Vortigern, 461 A.D., a Conference was appointed to take place near the Abbey of Ambri, with Hengist the Saxon, and it was agreed that both parties should come without armour. But Hengist, under colour of peace, devised the subversion of all the nobility of Britain, and chose out to come to this assembly his faithfullest and hardiest men, commanding every one of them to hide under their garment a long knife, with which, when he should give the watchword, every one should kill the Briton next him. Both sides met upon the day appointed, and, treating earnestly upon the matter, Hengist suddenly gave the watchword and caught Vortigern by the collar, upon which the Saxons, with their long knives, violently murdered the innocent and unarmed Britons. Thus were 460 earls and noblemen of the Britons treacherously murdered. They were buried in the convent at Amesbury. This massacre took place near Stonehenge, where repeated battles were fought between Ambrosius and Hengist.” [10]
There is a fanciful legend, told by an old writer called Geoffrey of Monmouth, about Stonehenge. He says that Ambrosius, wishing to commemorate those who had fallen in battle, thought fit to send for Merlin the Wizard, to consult him on the proper monument to be erected to the memory of the slain. On being interrogated Merlin replied, “Send for the ‘Giants’ Dance,’ which is in Killarus (Kildare), a mountain in Ireland; they are stones of a vast magnitude, and if they can be placed here quite round this spot of ground they will stand for ever.” At these words Aurelius laughed and said, “How was it possible to remove such stones from so distant a country, and had not Britain as good stones?” Merlin replied “that they were mystical stones and had a medicinal virtue,” whereupon the Britons resolved to send for them and to risk a battle. Upon landing in Ireland, the removal of the stones was violently opposed by Gillomanius, a youth of wonderful valour. At the head of a vast army, he exclaimed, “While I have life they shall not take from us the least stone of the Giants’ Dance.” A battle ensued, which was won by the Britons. They then proceeded to Killarus, where the sight of the stones filled them with joy and admiration, and, while they were all standing round, Merlin asked them to try and remove the stones. Their efforts proving futile, he laughingly proceeded with his own contrivances, and took down the stones with incredible facility. This done, they set sail to Britain, and repaired to the burial-place with the stones, Aurelius ordering Merlin to get them up in the same manner as they had been in the mountain of Killarus, which he accordingly did.
Queen Elfrida, who performed many penances and built monasteries in atonement for the crime of the murder of her step-son, Edward the Martyr, founded a Benedictine nunnery at Amesbury in 980. This nunnery flourished for many years, until the ill-conduct of the nuns caused King Henry II. to expel them (1177), and place them under stricter discipline in other religious houses. He then gave the monastery of Ambresbury to the Abbey of Fontevrault, in Normandy. This order was founded by Robert d’Arbrissel about the end of the eleventh century. It is looked upon as a singularity in the church, some finding it strange to see an abbess exercising equal authority over men as well as women. Before his death d’Arbrissel appointed Petronilla de Craou Chemille as head and chief of his order, of which he drew up statutes, putting them under the order of St. Benedict. Under the new rule, this monastery increased in splendour and royal favour, King John conferring upon it important privileges. Eleanor, only daughter of Geoffrey, Earl of Bretagne, was buried, according to her own request, at Ambresbury in 1241. Mary, sixth daughter of Edward I., together with thirteen young ladies of royal birth, took the veil in 1283; and two years afterwards, anno 1287, Eleanor, queen of Henry III., entered the order, and died and was buried at Ambresbury in 1292. The monastery continued to prosper, and became one of the richest in England. The following names of the prioresses have been preserved:—Isabella of Lancaster, fourth daughter of Henry, Earl of Lancaster; Joan de Gennes; Sibilla de Montacute; Katherine of Arragon lodged within the convent walls on her first arrival in England in 1501.