ntering into the
court, with the lodging over the same; the Abbot's stable, bakehouse,
brewhouse and slaughter-house, the almery, barn, dairy-house; the
great barn next Avon; the malting-house with the garners in the same,
the ox-house in the Barton, the Barton-gate and the lodging over the
same." At the same time "the Church, with chapels, cloisters, chapter
house, misericord; the two dormitories, infirmary with chapels and
lodgings within the same; the workhouse, with another house adjoining
to the same; the convent kitchen; the library; the old hostery; the
chamberer's lodgings; the new hall; the old parlour adjoining to the
Abbot's lodging; the cellarer's lodging; the poulter house: the
gardner; the almary, and all other houses and lodgings not otherwise
reserved," were "deemed to be superfluous" and were committed to the
custody of Sir John Whittington.

The eight bells in the tower were estimated at 146 cwt., and were
ordered to be melted down, as was also the lead upon the roofs of the
choir, the aisles and the chapels annexed, the cloister, chapter
house, frater, St. Michael's Chapel, halls, farmery and gatehouse. The
weight of lead was estimated at 180 fodders, _i.e._, about 190 tons.

The jewels naturally were specially reserved to the use of the King's
Majesty, and the two mitres garnished with gilt, rugged pearls, and
counterfeit stones, and 1,431 ounces of silver and silver-gilt plate
were, together with the vestments, ornaments, and everything else of
value, taken away.

The public-spirited inhabitants of Tewkesbury, however, meant to
preserve their cherished Abbey from destruction if they could compass
it, and after petitioning their "most dread victorious sovereign
lord," succeeded in doing so for a consideration, viz., the sum of
L453. This sum was arrived at by roughly valuing the lead on the roofs
at 5d. a square foot, and the bells at something like 2-1/2d. per lb.
They had to pay L200 down, L100 the ensuing Easter, and the balance,
L153, at Christmas. It was further stipulated that the said
parishioners should "bear and find the reparations of the said church
perpetually."

The word "church" in this connection seems to be limited to mean that
part of the building other than the nave. The nave seems to have been
looked upon as belonging, as was the case elsewhere, to the
inhabitants of Tewkesbury, for their use, more or less as a parish
church. Mr. Hayman says that "parochial worship was enshrin