This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...From Peterborough to Northampton is 42 miles; from Northampton to Market Harborough about 20 miles; and from Market Harborough back to Peterborough 33 miles. Dedication: St. Etheldreda. New Foundation; ForMerly The Church Of A Benedictine Monastery. Distance from Peterborough by G. E. R. 30 miles. Architectural styles ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...From Peterborough to Northampton is 42 miles; from Northampton to Market Harborough about 20 miles; and from Market Harborough back to Peterborough 33 miles. Dedication: St. Etheldreda. New Foundation; ForMerly The Church Of A Benedictine Monastery. Distance from Peterborough by G. E. R. 30 miles. Architectural styles of principal parts: Norman. The nave and transepts and lower stages of the tower. Early English. The Galilee porch and the choir. Decorated. The lantern and the Lady Chapel. Perpendicular. The upper stage of the tower. P? LY, standing on a low hill formerly an island in the midst of the fens, is visible for many miles on every side. The view of the west front would be most imposing, were it not that the north arm of the western transept has disappeared. There is no record of the date at which it fell; but possibly it may have been due to the thrust caused by the extra weight put upon the western tower when its octagonal termination was added in the fifteenth century. The earliest church on this site was founded for nuns by Etheldredain 673; she was itsfirst abbess and afterwards became the patron saint of Ely. The nuns were succeeded by secular canons; these by Benedictine monks in Dunstan's time. In 1109 Ely became the see of a bishop. The bishop, like the bishop of Durham, had great powers not possessed by any of their episcopal brethren. He was lord of the Isle of Ely and derived great revenues therefrom; and St. Etheldreda, whose name was shortened into St. Audrey, was a saint held in such high repute throughout England that her shrine brought no small number of pilgrims to Ely and no small amount of money to the cathedral coffers: hence the monks had ample funds for the building. Their resources must have been considerable, or they never ...
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