People Did Not Use To Build
Churches At A Distance From Town, Unless For The Service Of Convents
Or Religious Houses.
But neither in the times of the Apostles, nor
in the supposed reign of King Lucius, in the second century, was
there any such thing as a convent in England, or perhaps in any part
of Christendom.
During the dominion of the Saxons in this island,
monasteries indeed were erected here, and in many other kingdoms, in
great abundance; and as the monks generally chose thick woods or
other solitary places for their residence, where could they meet
with a spot of ground fitter for their purpose than this woody
island called Thorney, then destitute of inhabitants? But I am
inclined to think that neither this or any other monastery was
erected in South Britain till the seventh century, after Austin the
monk came into England. As to the tradition of its having been
built upon the ruins of the temple of Apollo, destroyed by an
earthquake, I do not doubt but the monks were very ready to
propagate a fable of this kind, who formed so many others to show
the triumphs of Christianity over paganism, and to induce their
proselytes to believe that heaven miraculously interposed in their
favour by earthquakes, storms, and other prodigies. But to proceed.
When the convent was erected, I make no doubt that there was a
church or chapel built as usual for the service of the monks; but it
is evident from history that the dimensions of the first or second
church that stood here were not comparable to those of the present
church.
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