“DEVIL’S DOORWAY”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 5

“DEVIL’S DOORWAY”

WESTMINSTER ABBEY RECENT IMPROVEMENTS LONDON, Dec. 10. A new door and frame has been lilted in the small entrance on the north side of the nave of Westminster Abbey which, for reasons that remain a mystery, has long been known as the “Devil's Doorway." Originally it formed the connection between the church and a large sacristy which was built by King Henry 111 in the angle of the nave and transept. This sacristy was destroyed in the 17th. century, but its foumutions stiil exist under the green. The new door is handsomely padded with leathec and decorated with brass studs. Another new door, with a small Inner lobby, has been placed in the archway leading from the south choir aisle into the Great Cloister. This doorway is more elaborately carved than any other existing entrance to the church, but it has suffered severely from decay. It belongs to that part of the abbey which was built in the middle of lhe 13th. century, and originally had a massive oak aoor. Prior to the Coronation it had a small door of very inconvenient design, which was installed about a century ago. This was removed during lhe preparations for the ceremony and a more commodious one put in its place. The prosent new door is but a temporary one, and in due course a door in keeping with the splendid containing arch will be erected. The object of the inner vestibule is to protect people seated in the transepts from draughts.