Furness Abbey.

Through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault The pealing anthem swelled the note of praise . The Abbey was founded by Steven of Boulogne in 1127 . The ori ginal monks were of the Savignian order , whose dress was of grey cloth ; afterwards they became Cistercians , ancl adopted a white habit . The architecture of the Abbey is somewhat peculiar . The pointed ancl the

rounded arches occur in the doors and windows , as if planted , there by accident , and not design . The Saxon and Gothic pillars stand out in bold contrast to each other , and sometimes form a strange medley . " There is , " says Mr . West , " a remarkable deformity in this edifice , for which no apparent reason or necessity exists , viz ., that the north door , which is the principal entranceis on one side of the window above it . The west end of the church" he

, , remarks , " seems to have been an additional part intended as a belfry to ease the main tower . The east end of the church contained five altars , besides the high altar , as appeal's by the chapels ; ancl probably there was a private altar in the sacristy . The only perfect portion remaining of this interesting re ] ic of mediaeval times is the school-house , which is a heavy structure , attached to the southern boundary wall . A winding staircase on either side leads to

cloistered passages above . " The Abbey was one of the last to surrender to the rapacit y of Henry VIII . But the fiat had been issued , and Furness Abbey , the rich and opulent , the abbey which had succoured the indigent for centuries , and which had been the nursery of learning and piety , was to be no more . Never again , at noon , should the full tone of the sanctus bell be heard in the "vale of nihtshade ; " never

g again would the vesper peal warn the inhabitants of the approach of eventide , or the complin chimes the advent of another clay . All , all was hushed , save the impious footfall of the ruthless destroyer ancl the unearthly sounds of the midnight screech-owl , as he sang a mournful dirge , over the departed ° -lories of the place .

Pyle , the last abbot , surrendered with twenty-nine monks , April 9 th , 1537 , and was made rector of the neighbouring church of Dalton , receiving for an annual stipend £ 33 6 s . 8 d . The surroundings of the Abbey are most picturesque . On both sides are loft y hills , which are crowned with venerable oaks and beech trees , the Abbey standing in a valley at their base . A gentle stream

babbles over its stony bed , making rippling melody , where once the full rich tones of the organ were wont to vibrate . The glen was anciently called Bekangsgill , from the fact that the deadly plant known by the name of nio-htshacle flourished there in much abundance . The charter , as given to the Abbey by King Stephen , is as follows : " In the name of the Blessed Trinity , and in honour of St . Mary of

Furness , I , Stephen , consulting God ancl providing for the safet y of my soul ancl the soul of my wife Matilda , the soul of my uncle Henry , King of England ancl Duke of Normandy , and the souls of all the living as well as dead , in the year of our Lord 1127 of the Roman indiction , the 5 th aud 18 th of the Epact . Considering the uncertainty of life , and that all things tend to dissolution ancl death : I therefore returngiveancl grant to God and St . Mary of

, , Furness , all Furness aud Wagnea j Walney ] , with the privileges of huiitin ° - ; with Dalton and all my lordships of Furness ( infra Frudernesiam ) , with the men and everything thereto belonging , that is , in woods and in open oTounds in land and in water ; ancl Olvestouam , ancl Roger Braithwaite , with all that belongs to him ; my fisheries at Lancaster , and Guorenuni parvum , with all the land thereof , with sae [ power of imposing fines ] and soc [ administer ]'

nojustice ] , toi [ revenue duty ] ancl team [ a badge of feudal serfdom ] , infangenotheof [ magisterial privileges ] and everything within Furness , except " the lands of Michael le Fleming , upon the condition that an order of re ° -ular