The Abbey of St. Albans

A fall of masonry

By John Cox

From  The Monthly Supplement of "The Penny Magazine" of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, May 31 to June 30, 1832.

On the 3d of February last, a part of the wall of the upper battlement on the south-west side of the Abbey of St. Alban's fell upon the roof below, in two masses, at an interval of five minutes between the fall of each fragment. The concussion was so great, that the inhabitants of the neighbouring houses, describe it as resembling the loudest thunder; and the detached masses of the wall came down with such force that a large portion of the roof, consisting of lead and heavy timber, was driven into the aisle below. The abbey, generally, has been a good deal out of repair for several years; and it is now estimated that the £15,000 will be required to repair the damage, and to save this venerable fabric from further injury.

A public subscription has been opened for this laudable object; and we consider the interest which the people of this country so properly attach to monuments of our early civilisation, we cannot doubt, that the Abbey of St. Albans will be rescued, for several more generations, from the devouring grasp of time.