BRIGHTENING UP WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 27

BRIGHTENING UP WESTMINSTER ABBEY

No. pne;. who. today: visits Westminster Abbey;, Rafter an absence of about ten ' years,. 'can fail to. be im-

pressed ' by the " great improvements iwhich'have been made in the building jitself, : and in many of its more beautiful" features,, since itf 1925 Dr. Foxley 'Norris, ; .came into . ofßce li :gays "Daily Telegraph." Tlie:u^e-^ r Deani.found one, very big ..and important » task) in progress - when , ,he arrive'd;"/! This 'was' ;the renovation jot the exterior of Henry Vll's Chapel, .'a work Which, involved-, the' replacement ■of numerous' perished ■ details ■«nd'the" Cleaning-and limewashing of .-; the- whole,- against- further !fr ße'fca'yT"' '■-'■"-":•--■---;-"■"'•• -• --*"*:"-* a; had the scaffolding been removed when a'piece, of'tracery fell from the beautiful vauit within the chapel. It had long-been felt that this -roof should,'be .'examined,; - and.-without delay the Dean put the work' in hand.

The late Sir Walter (then Mr.) Tapper found that a complete overhaul was ' essential. . _ . The' opportunity, was taken to clean and limewash the whole interior. The work was completed in about three years, and the traceried vault of the chapel vestibule has . been adorned with gilt and colour in the style of the early: sixteenth century, when it was built- <; The ; ,>york of cleaning the masonry and'ssojiiptureof the south-; transept, begun);ih. : i93l, .is now nearing com-The".fair-colour, of the stone, now free from dust, makes Poets' Corner a brighter and pleasanter■place. !: Possibly the greatest achieveme/it of Dr. Nofris's time is the reorganisation 'of, the Library and JVtuniment Room.

Th:s was carried out. with generous assistance from the Pilgrim Trust. The Muniment Room is a large chamber, open to the church, which is situated over the northerrt bays of the east cloister walk, the latter ■ usurping the place of the. west aisle of the 1 south transept" The Library occupies i the northern part -of the ' monks' dormitory, an eleventh century build-1 ing which lies to the south of "the transept. Connection between the two has been established by means of a gallery over the southern bays of the east cloister walk, which had previously been used as a lumber room. The necessary furnishing and slight structural alterations were carried out by Sir Walter Tapper.. Mr. Lawrence E. Tanner; whose connection with the Abbey is lifelong, has been appointed Keeper of Muniments. ','.'."• Other.works done during the last ten years include the repair and cleaning of the "century;refectory wall; and the opening, out of itst Norman wall arcade; the repair and-lime-washing of the Abbots' Hall and "Jericho" Parlour. The "Jerusalem" Chamber, which adjoins the hall, is at present under treatment Notwithstanding all that has been accomplished, much, remains to be done,' and the question of funds is the delaying iactor. At a meeting;of the 'Architectural Association in. 1932, the Dean expressed the opinion that £IOO,OOO could be well spent should some generous, person be* ready-to provide it. • Certainly there are schemes which have been hinted at from time to time, or discussed and shelved, which would . be,-. .in hand were funds available. v ; :