It was partly
destroyed in 1536 and the site granted to Edward Grey, Lord Powis, who
married Anne, daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Sussex.
But though the monastery itself was destroyed, the outer walls of the
noble church remain, together with a great portion of the massive
central tower, the choir chapels, and the east end, with its delicate
lancet-windows. The clerestory, with its Norman windows, is also intact
on both sides of the nave, and between the columns are remains of the
screen which once shut off the eastern aisle. The door on the south side
leading to the dormitories of the monks may still be traced.
The ruins of the chapter-house are remarkably fine, and in good
preservation, with a beautiful early Gothic groined roof. Beyond the
chapter-house are the refectory and kitchen, and on the side next to the
river were the cloisters. In the outer court of the abbey stood the
lodge, and there was formerly a fine gatehouse, which collapsed in
1828, and is now almost entirely gone.
The brook, that once flowed across the abbey court, still works the mill
close by; but the fine old bridge over the Severn, built by the monks,
was taken down in 1690.
A good way of seeing Buildwas is to go there from Shrewsbury by an early
train, walking to Leighton and Eaton Constantine, both charming
villages, and rejoining the train at Cressage for Shrewsbury. An
alternative route is from Shrewsbury to Much Wenlock, where there are
the ruins of a fine Abbey.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188