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of the King's Manor and the residence for the Lords President
of the North.
It was further desecrated and despoiled in order to repair
the Church of St. Olave, the City Jail, the Castle, and Beverley
Minster ;
it is • even said that a kiln was erected to convert
the stone into lime. Its destruction would have been
complete, but for the timely intervention of the Yorkshire
Philosophical Society, who obtained a grant of land from the
Crown for their museum and ground which included the
remains of this once splendid and venerable pile. The ruins
now consist of the north wall of the nave, with a portion of
the west front, the bases of several pillars, and of the four
central piers that supported the tower. The wall has eight
windows of the Decorated period, varied alternately in
design, with indications of the beautiful tracery that once
adorned them. A panelled arcade of pointed arches runs
underneath the windows. The full length was 371 feet
by 60 wide. The ruins are beautiful in their decay, and are
most religiously cared for by the society which owns the
ground.
Walking towards the river, on the northern or Marygate
side of the grounds, we find an old Norman arch, with
building attached This seems to have been the principal
entrance to the Abbey. The ground floor of this gatehouse
was formerly used as a prison for debtors in the liberties of
St. Mary's, the court being held by the Steward in the upper
story. It was some years ago thoroughly restored and
raade into a dwelling-house, Professor Phillips, late curator,
being its first occupant.
Here it may not be amiss to draw attention to the Abbey
Walls and the history of their erection. In 1282 the monks
and citizens appear to have not been on the best of terms
with each other; for, in the Annals of the Convent, we read
that, in consequence of sundry disputes, several of the
inmates of the Abbey were slain and much property
destroyed. The ill-feeling being only partly appeased, the
monks obtained permission from the King to build walls on
each unprotected side. The remains of these walls, which
were constructed as regular fortifications, with towers at
certain distances, may still be seen behind the houses from
Bootham Bar to Marygate Tower, at the corner of that