Bells Cathedrals: The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury | Page 8

list of "church goods," as "sheepe skins for Christ's
garments," "shippe skins for the sinners gear," "eight heads of heare for
the Apostles and ten beardes," together with a "face or vizor for the
devil."
In 1559, on Easter morning, during divine service, the wooden spire
fell down, causing damage to the tower masonry in its fall. This steeple
may have been the original one which had been put up by Robert, the
first Earl of Gloucester.

In 1576 the two chapels of St. James and St. Nicholas were cut off from
the church and turned into a free school.
In 1582 the campanile, which stood on the north side of the church not
far from the North Transept, was converted into a House of Correction
for half the shire.
In 1593 the Corporation records state that the long roof was taken down,
and replaced in the following year. Six years later there is another
interesting entry as follows: "The churchwardens after Michaelmas,
intending of themselves to build a battlement upon the top of the
church tower, offered to do the same without any charge, and for that
purpose did set forth three stage-plays, played in the Abbey at
Whitsuntide following."
To raise more money they then proposed to hold a Church Ale, but
there were difficulties in the way, and the proposal was dropped.
The cost of the battlements was £66. These same churchwardens, with
the help of others, "joined in entreating the benevolence of the best
disposed of the inhabitants, and thereby finished the free school by
glazing the windows, boarding the floors, and making the galleries."
In 1602 the monks' stalls, which had been in the body of the church,
were removed into the chancel.
In 1603 "the roof of lead over the chancel was taken down, new framed,
laid lower, and covered new," at the expense of the town.
In 1607 a large grey marble slab was discovered buried in the church. It
measured 13 feet 8 inches by 3 feet 6 inches, and 7 inches thick. This
was placed for some time in the middle of the chancel and was used for
a Communion table.
[Illustration: THE DETACHED BELL-TOWER, DEMOLISHED IN
1817. From Bennett's "Tewkesbury" lent by Mr. S. Browett.]
In 1653-54 there is an interesting entry in the churchwardens' accounts:

"Item. Paid the ringers 24th December, my Lord Protector being
proclaimed that day--who was the Grand Rebel." (The last few words
are by a different hand, perhaps that of the other churchwarden.)
In 1661 the west window was blown in, and was rebuilt in 1686.
In 1720 the external re-roofing of the nave was carried out, and the
western gable, occupying the space between the two western turrets,
disappeared in the process.
By 1720 the "long roof," repaired in 1593, was again in want of repair,
and to raise money a brief was granted by Parker, the Lord Chancellor.
During the years 1723-26 the work was carried out and finished. Before
this, the eaves of the roof overlapped the side walls of the nave.
In 1726 the "old wall at the East end of the Chancel" was taken down,
and foundations were dug upon which an altar-piece was to be erected.
About the same time, the marble Communion table, which Mr. Gough
called "the finest Communion table in the kingdom," was moved into
the nave. It was then cut longitudinally into two pieces, which were
used as seats in the porch.
In 1737 the organ now in the choir was erected over the old screen.
A stone altar-piece, Doric in character, with an elliptical pediment, was
set up in 1725, the cost being partly met by private subscriptions. It
must have struck most people as incongruous, for it was not liked, and
in 1848 it was removed.
A flood in 1770 rose to such a height that service could not be held in
the church; and the old feoffee book states that "the graves in the
church were shocking to behold, for scarce a stone was to be seen that
was not removed from its proper situation. Several parts of this
venerable building were materially injured, particularly the large pillar
next the seats of the Corporation, and the arch over the same."
In January, 1795, it was agreed at a parish meeting that "the church

shall be whitewashed as soon as convenient, and other repairs be
done ... that shall appear necessary." The part of the church that was in
use was re-pewed, galleries were put up in the two transepts, and in the
easternmost bay of the aisles of the nave.
During the years 1824-30, the exterior of the tower, probably
untouched from the date of its first completion, was repaired, all
decayed stones being made good. The windows which had been
partially bricked up were