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street, and thence down to the river, terminating in the
west tower. In
MAEYGATE TOWER
were stored all the records of the Abbey, the ancient
writings of all similar houses north of the Trent at the dissolution,
as well as some of the royal records of Chancery.
On Trinity Sunday, 1644, during the siege of York, this
tower was blown up, many of the records destroyed, and
numbers of people buried in the ruins. Nearer to the river is
THE HOSPITIUM,
the ground floor of which is supposed to have been the
Refectory, the upper the Dormitory for the accommodation
of such guests as could not be received in the main building
of the Abbey. The lower part is of stone, the upper (a
modern restoration) is of timber and plaster work, or
"post and pane," as it is usually termed. It is now stored
with British, Roman, and Saxon remains, Egyptian antiquities,
and Samian ware. There are very perfect examples
of tesselated pavement found in or near the city, and probably
the most unique collection of ancient coffins in the
world. In a glass case is also shewn a coil of hair from the
head of a young Roman lady, fastened with jet pins, which
was found preserved in a lead coffin enclosed within another
of stone, and dating from about the year 200 after Christ.
Adjoining the Hospitium, on the south, is a Norman arch,
one of the entrances to the old Abbey grounds.
The gardens are tastefully laid out, the green sward
sloping down to the river always beautifully kept, and here
and there are strewn about various objects of interest.
THE OBSERVATORY,
A small building in the centre, with circular roof by
Smeaton, the great engineer, possesses a refracting telescope
4J inches in diameter, presented the late by W. Gray, Esq.
Occasionally during the summer season a selection of
music is performed, the grounds affording a pleasant promenade
much appreciated by the citizens.
Admission : either by members' order or on pajrment of
one shilling, except when music is performed, when the fee
is only sixpence. Large parties of excursionists (if not less
than twenty) are admitted at threepence each on showing