This church, constructed of free-stone, is a fine Gothic building, and the west end is particularly beautiful. The windows are large, numerous and handsome, and were originally adorned with painted glass, some remains of which, yet left in those on the north side, are executed in such a manner as to make us the more deeply regret the injuries they have received. The length of St. James's church is 137 feet, its breadth, 69; and the chancel is 56 feet 8, by 27 feet 5 inches.

Against the wall on the south aisle, are two elegant monuments inclosed with iron railing, one of them to the Rt. Honble. James Reynolds, chief baron of the court of Exchequer, who died in 1738, in his 53d year; and the other to Mary his wife. He is represented sitting in his robes of justice; on each side is a weeping figure, and above his coat of arms, with other embellishments. His character is recorded in a Latin inscription of considerable length on the pedestal.

The CHURCH-GATE, which though thirty feet distant from this edifice, serves as a steeple to it, is considered to be one of the noblest specimens of what is denominated Saxon architecture, in the kingdom. Kirby says,* that "the arches of this tower are all round, of a Saxon form, and seem to be much older than Henry the Third's time." Some are of opinion, that it was erected in the reign of William the Conqueror, at the same time that the abbey-church was first built of stone, when Albold, a man of rank, and a priest, is said to have made by permission of abbot Baldwin, a tower of no small size. It stands opposite to the west end of the abbey church; to which it served as a magnificent portal. It is 80 feet in height, of a quadrangular figure, and remarkable for the simple plainness and solidity of its construction. The stone of which it is built, abounds with small shells, that in their natural, state are extremely brittle and perishable. These in their! bed have acquired such hardness, as to resist the injuries of

Suffolk Traveller, p. 216.

+ Description of Bury St. Edmund's, p. 69.

of seven centuries, even when partly laid bare by the crumbling away of the softer gritty particles of the stone. A chapel of Jesus was originally intended to have occupied the space between St. James's church, and this tower.

On the west side of the Church-gate, near the foundation, are two curious basso relievos in stone. That on the left, represents mankind in their fallen state, under the dominion of Satan, by the figures of our first parents with a serpent twined round them, and the Devil in the back ground insulting Adam. The other emblematic of the deliverance of man from his bondage, exhibits God the Father with flowing hair, and a long parted beard, sitting triumphantly within a circle, surrounded by cherubim. This piece of sculpture which appears to be of considerable antiquity, is in good preservation, except that the principal figure has lost the right hand. The capitals of some of the pillars in the interior of this gateway, likewise exhibit grotesque figures, which appear to have formed part of the original building.

Time has lately made considerable impression upon this venerable edifice. Wide fissures are conspicuous in various parts, especially on the side next the church-yard; and on the other it is said to be twelve inches out of the perpendicular. In consequence of these appearances, the modern belfry has been taken down; the bells with all the wood-work, have been removed from the interior, and the clock from the outside, for the purpose of repairs. Unless means be speedily adopted to preserve this relic of the chaster style of ancient architecture, it seems highly probable that the safety of the inhabitants will soon require its total demolition.

The two church-yards, which in fact form but one, are kept in excellent order: an alley of lofty poplars runs diagonally across them, and makes a very pleasant promenade. Nearly in the centre is a small plot of ground inclosed with high iron railing, and planted with trees of different kinds. In this place is the receptacle provided by the late James Spink, esq. banker of Bury, for himself and his family. The spot where he lies interred

6

terred, is marked by a plain marble tablet, with this inscription: ---To the memory of John Spink, esq. who died Oct. 22, 1794, aged 65 years, this tablet is inscribed by his executors, not to record virtues which have raised a lasting monument in the hearts of those who knew him, but to inform the stranger that under this humble stone the constant and unwearied friend of human nature - in distress, lies buried, not forgotten."

Within the same inclosure, is a plain upright stone, terminating in a pyramid, with the figure of the cross carved upon it, and underneath the following inscription: Here lies interred the body of Mary Haselton, a young maiden of this town, born of Roman Catholic parents, and virtuously brought up; who being in the act of prayer repeating her vespers, was instantaneously killed by a flash of lightning, Aug. 16. 1785, aged nine years."

The remains of the west end of St. Edmund's church, which bound the church-yard on one side, at present exhibit a singular and motley spectacle. One of the octagon towers which formerly terminated either end, is still standing, and has been converted into a stable. Three arches, once the entrances to the three aisles, have been filled up with modern buildings, and converted into as many neat houses, while the intermediate rugged portions of the original massive wall, which is supposed to have been once faced with marble, has braved the ravages of not much less than three centuries. The antiquary will probably be disposed to regret this profanation of these venerable relics. A lady of Bury, actuated by this sentiment, was some time since desirous of purchasing these ruins for the purpose of demolishing the modern erections, and restoring them to their former state; but probably her antiquarian zeal was damped by the magnitude of the sacrifice, which the completion of her wishes would have required.

In the path-way, between the two churches, an atrocious attempt was made, in 1721, by Arundel Coke, esq. barrister, with the assistance of one Woodbourne, a hired assassin, to murder his brother-in-law, Edward Crisp, esq. in the hope of possessing his property. He had invited him, his wife and family to supper,

and

and at night, on pretence of going to see a mutual friend, he led him into the church-yard, where on a given signal, Woodbourne rushed upon Mr. Crisp, and cut his head and face in a terrible manner, with a hedging-bill. Leaving him on the ground for dead, Coke returned to the company as if nothing had happened. Mr. Crisp, however, was not killed, and on recovering himself, mustered sufficient strength to crawl back to the house of this inhuman relative, where his appearance, so cruelly mangled and covered with blood, excited the utmost horror and amazement, and confounded the author of the barbarous deed. It was not long before he was discovered, and with his accomplice brought to trial, on the statute for defacing and dismembering, called the Coventry Act. Mr. Crisp having survived this outrage, Coke was so good a lawyer, and so hardened a villain, as to hope to save himself by pleading that he intended not to deface, but to kill. This justification, little inferior in atrocity to the crime itself, availed him nothing, and sentence of death was passed upon him, and the partner of his guilt. Shortly before the day appointed for his execution, the unhappy convict requested of the high sheriff for the county, Sir Jasper Cullum, that if he thought there were no hopes of pardon, he might suffer early in the morning, to avoid the crowd likely to be collected by such a spectacle. His desire was complied with. Whether it were on account of the great concourse expected to attend on this occasion, or that a rescue was apprehended, an extraordinary guard was provided, as appears from the charge of two guineas for that service among the expences*.

In the church-yard stands Clopton's hospital, a handsome brick building, with projecting wings, founded and endowed in 1730, agreeably to the will of the late Poley Clopton, M. D.+ as an asylum

81

asylum for six poor men, and as many women, three of either sex out of each parish. They must be widowers and widows, upwards of sixty years of age, who have been housekeepers, paid scot and lot, and received no parochial relief. The front exhibits the arms of the founder: a Latin inscription below records the object of this institution, and underneath, in very large letters, are these words: DORENAVANT OUBLIEZ NE DOY.

On the same side of the church-yard with the hospital, is a neat new building, the residence of John Benjafield, esq. This house might perhaps have passed unnoticed, had it not been for a violation not merely of decency, but of what we have been taught to regard as sacred, which has lately been committed by its proprietor. I allude to the inclosure of a corner of the church-yard in the front of this mansion. And for what purpose has this peaceful sanctuary of the dead been invaded? for what purpose have their bones been disturbed, and perhaps the only remaining memorials of their existence been swept from the face of the earth? Why, forsooth, that a shrubbery might conceal the house from the gaze of inquisitive eyes, or hide from the view of its owner the numerous mementos of perishable humanity. This appropriation of part of the public property, for such in every point of view must a church-yard be considered, was, I am told, permitted by the corporation, If this information be correct, as there is every reason to believe, I know not which to admire most, the impu dence of the demand, or the indecorum of the concession.

On the opposite side of the church-yard stands the shire hall, or sessions house, where the assizes for the county are held. It is a building of modern erection, on the site of the ancient church of St. Margaret, and contains two convenient courts, in which criminal and civil causes are tried at the same time. The old building, together with a piece of ground, was given by Thomas Badby, the same I presume, who, in 1560, purchased the site of the abbey, and other estates, granted in the same year, by queen VOL. XIV.

G

Elizabeth.

off. That estate the doctor, who died a bachelor, left to his only sister, married to Edward Crispe, esq. of Bury.