Of the Founding of an Abbey on Thorney Island, where that of Westminster now stands, there are so many miraculous stories related by monkish writers, that the recital of them now would hardly be endured. Even the relations of ancient historians have been questioned by Sir Christopher Wren, who was employed to survey the present edifice, and who, upon the nicest examination, found nothing to countenance the general belief, “that it was erected on the ruins of a Pagan Temple.” No fragments of Roman workmanship were discovered in any part of the building, many of which must undoubtedly have been intermixed among the materials, if a Roman temple had existed before on the same spot.

Nor is the dedication of the first Abbey less involved in mystery than the founding of it. The legend says that Sebert, King of the East Saxons, who died in 616, ordered Melitus, then Bishop of London, to perform the ceremony; but that St. Peter himself was beforehand with him, and consecrated it in the night preceding the day appointed by his Majesty for that purpose, accompanied by angels, and surrounded by a glorious appearance of burning lights.

That this legend continued to be believed after the building itself was destroyed, will appear by a charter which we shall have occasion to mention hereafter; and though nothing can with certainty be concluded from these fictions, yet it may be presumed, that both the ancient church dedicated to St. Paul, in London, and this dedicated to St. Peter, in Westminster, were among the earliest works of the first converts to Christianity in Britain. With their new religion, they introduced a new manner of building; and their great aim seems to have been, by affecting loftiness and ornament, to bring the plain simplicity of the Pagan architects into contempt.

Historians, agreeable to the legend, have fixed the era of the first Abbey in the sixth century, and ascribed to Sebert the honour of conducting the work, and completing that part of it, at least, which now forms the east angle, which probably was all that was included in the original plan.

After the death of that pious Prince, his sons, relapsing into Paganism, totally deserted the church which their father had been so zealous to erect and endow; nor was it long before the Danes destroyed what the Saxons had thus contemptuously neglected.

From this period to the reign of Edward the Confessor, the first Abbey remained a monument of the sacrilegious fury of the times; but, by the prevailing influence of Christianity in that reign, the ruins of the ancient building were cleared away, and a most magnificent structure, for that age, erected in their place. In its form it bore the figure of a cross, which afterwards became a pattern for cathedral-building throughout the kingdom. That politic Prince, to ingratiate himself with his clergy, not only confirmed all former endowments, but granted a new charter, in which he recited the account of St. Peter’s consecration, the ravages of the Danes, and the motives which prompted him to restore the sacred edifice to its former splendour, and endow it with more ample powers and privileges. This charter concluded with solemn imprecations against all who should in time to come, dare to deface or to demolish any part of the building, or to infringe the rights of its priesthood.

Henry III. not only pulled down and enlarged the plan of this ancient Abbey, but added a Chapel, which he dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; but it was not till the reign of Henry VII. that the stately and magnificent Chapel now known by his name was planned and executed. Of this Chapel, the first stone was laid on the 24th January, 1502, and when completed was dedicated, like the former Chapel, to the Blessed Virgin. Henry, designing this as a burying-place for himself and his successors, expressly enjoined by his will, that none but those of the blood-royal should be inhumed therein.

From the death of Henry VII. till the reign of William and Mary, no care was taken to repair or preserve the ancient church. By the robberies made upon it by Henry VIII., and the ravages it sustained during the unhappy civil commotions, its ancient beauty was in a great measure destroyed; nor did their Majesties go about to restore it, till it became an object of parliamentary attention, and till a considerable sum was voted for that purpose only. This vote being passed, Sir Christopher Wren was employed to decorate it and give it a thorough repair, which that able architect so skilfully and faithfully executed, that the building is thought at this day to want none of its original strength, and to have even acquired additional majesty by two new towers.

In 1803 the lantern of the Abbey was destroyed by fire, owing to the negligence of the plumbers, who were employed in repairing the lead flat. This part being the junction of four long timber roofs, it was a merciful providence the whole of this much-esteemed, august, and venerable pile, had not been utterly consumed. The young gentlemen of Westminster School highly distinguished themselves by their exertions for the preservation of the church. The room is handsomely finished, and more suitable with the rest of the building than the old one.

General Admeasurements of the Interior of the Abbey.

The new Choir, designed by Mr. Blore, Architect to the Abbey, is in the style of architecture which prevailed during the reign of Edward the Third; and executed by Mr. Ruddle, of Peterborough, in 1848.

The Dean and Sub-dean’s stalls are on either side of the arch, and are alike in general design, but that of the Dean being more elaborate in ornamental detail. They are octagonal in plan, and have projecting groined canopies, with pediments springing from moulded shafts with carved caps; above the canopies rise an octagonal turret with a spire. The arch is enclosed under a triangular pediment, the space between the pediment and the arch being filled with tracery; the centre of which is a cinque foil enclosing a shield bearing the arms of Edward the Confessor; the ground of this is carved, and the hollows of the pediment and arch mouldings are filled with four-leaved flower peculiar to the style.

The Canons’ stalls have groined canopies with pediments, and the space between the pediment and canopy filled with open tracery; the canopies spring from slender moulded shafts with carved capitals, and are separated by buttresses terminating in pinnacles between the pediments.

The pew fronts are worked in tracery with deep mouldings, and the panels are divided into compartments by buttresses decorated with tracery, crockets, and finials.

The caps and poppy-heads of the desk ends, and the ornamental accessories of the stall work and pews, are carved to represent the foliage of ivy, maple, oak, willow, hop, vine, &c. The carving and tracery exhibit a great variety of design, and are entirely the production of hand labour; the total number of stalls is fifty-two.

The Organ, which formerly stood in the centre, and consequently obstructed the view from west to east, was, in 1848, entirely rebuilt by Mr. Hill, New Road, London. It is placed on the north, south, east, and west sides of the screen, and has three cases. The two principal cases, viz., those under the north and south arches, contain, respectively, the “great” and “swell”: the “solo” and part of the “pedal” organs being placed on the west side, and the small case on the east side of the screen facing the choir contains the “choir” organ. The organist sits behind the latter organ, where the manuals, or key boards, are placed. It may easily be imagined, that to connect these distinct organs with the manuals and pedals, and thus bring them under the command of the performer, was an undertaking of no ordinary difficulty. It has, however, been successfully accomplished by Mr. Hill, who has, by means of a nice mechanical adjustment, succeeded in producing a perfectly easy and light touch. The instrument is now considered one of the finest, as regards tone and construction, in the kingdom. Number of stops, fifty-five, the majority of the pedal stops, being on the great organ sound board.

The marble pavement of the choir was given by Dr. Busby, who was buried beneath it in 1695.

The length of the choir, from iron-gate to altar-rail, is one hundred and sixteen feet six inches; sacrarium, twenty-four feet six inches; altar, fourteen feet six inches; full length, from iron-gate to altar screen, one hundred and fifty-five feet six inches; breadth, thirty-five feet six inches.