View of Tavistock Abby in the county of Devon ([1769])

England display'd. London. 1769.But the greatest glory of this place formerly was in its abbey, which was an extensive and beautiful structure; and the abbot belonging to it was the first who sat as a lord in parliament. It was founded by Ordulph, son of king Edwar (sic), towards the latter end of the tenth century, but soon after destroyed by the Danes. It was again rebuilt, and endowed with many lands and manors, which it enjoyed till the general dissolution of religious houses, when Henry VIII. gave it to that gallant officer John lord Russel, ancestor to the duke of Bedford, in whose family it still remains, with the title of marquis.The abbey was dedicated to the blessed Virgin and one St. Rumon, probable a disciple, either of St. Patrick, or some other of whose British ecclesiastics, who lived about the sixth century. It was a spacious building, having, besides a large church, 126 yards in length, a chapel dedicated to the virgin Mary, a chapter-house with 36 stalls for the monks, a gate-house, and cloysters (sic). Many learned men have been abbots of this monastery, and a school was supported for learning the Anglo Saxon language, in order to acquire a perfect knowledge of the constitutions of the kingdom. Here we are told was a printing press set up soon after Caxton brought the knowledge of that noble art into England, and some of the books printed in the abbey are said to be remaining in the libraries of the curious.The abbot was so powerful that a dispute arising between one of them and the bishop of Exeter, the abbot carried his cause to Rome, where the bishop was condemned, and refusing to make satisfaction, died under the sentence of excommunication. Some parts of this abbey still remain, and are in good condition, the stones of the antient walls having been probably used to secure them from the devastation of time. There are two structures that appear to have been gate-houses, and are at a considerable distance from each other. Adjoining to one of them is a building , which greatly resembles the body of a country church; and the other parts are in good repair, and inhabited.[Text may be taken from a different edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Copper l.engr

118x225mm

S006. ENGLAND DISPLAY'D.