Meanwhile, we went into the old church of Battle,
which was built in Norman times, though subsequently to the Abbey. As we
entered the church door, the bell rang for joy at the news of peace,
which had just been announced by the London papers.
The church has been whitewashed in modern times, and does not look so
venerable as it ought, with its arches and pillared aisles. In the
chancel stands a marble tomb, heavy, rich, and elaborate, on the top of
which lie the broken-nosed statues of Sir Anthony Browne and his lady,
who were the Lord and Lady of Battle Abbey in Henry VIII.'s time. The
knight is in armor, and the lady in stately garb, and (save for their
broken noses) they are in excellent preservation. The pavement of the
chancel and aisles is all laid with tombstones, and on two or three of
these there were engraved brasses, representing knights in armor, and
churchmen, with inscriptions in Latin. Some of them are very old. On
the walls, too, there are various monuments, principally of dignitaries
connected with the Abbey. Two hatchments, in honor of persons recently
dead, were likewise suspended in the chancel. The best pew of the church
is, of course, that of the Webster family. It is curtained round,
carpeted, furnished with chairs and footstools, and more resembles a
parlor than a pew; especially as there is a fireplace in one of the
pointed archways, which I suppose has been bricked up in order to form
it.
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