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ABBEY OF SAINT BEES.
The Abbey owes its first foundation, according to tradition,
to a holy woman called Bega, who came over from Ireland in
the year 650. This house did not escape the barbarous
ravages of the Danes, for we find William, brother of
Ranulph de Meschiens, re-establishing it as a cell for a
Prior and six Benedictine monks, dependent on St. Mary's in
York. Another great benefactor was William de Fortibus, Earl
of Albemarle. Its revenues at the dissolution were
£149 19s. 6d. It was granted to Sir Thomas Chaloner,
of York, but now belongs to the Earl of Lonsdale. The Abbey
Church consists of a nave with aisles, used as the parish
church, transepts, and choir, which has had a south aisle,
and is at present fitted up for the Clerical Institution.
The general style is early English, but the west front has a
Norman door of imposing appearance, which is a plain bold
specimen of that style, though much delapidated, from the
nature of the stone and exposure to the sea blasts. The
piers, five in number, that support the arches of the nave,
are round, hexagonal, and clustered: this part is spoiled by
the introduction of modern sash windows, quite out of
character. The transepts, from the way in which they are
appropriated, cannot well be examined. The interior
arrangement at the east end of the choir is singular; three
beautiful lancets rise from a string, the centre one being
higher and
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