The site of the Abbey comprises ten acres. An embattled wall surrounded probably the whole. Of the once stately monastic buildings the remains are inconsiderable, and consist of the Church, the Infirmary, the Dormitory, the Reader’s Pulpit of the Refectory, the Guesten Chamber, and the Cloister of the Abbot’s Lodging.
The space of ground on the east of the present church, containing 7300 square yards, known lately by the name of “The Abbey Garden,” whereon formerly stood the Choir and Lady Chapel of the monastery, was in 1840 consecrated as a public Cemetery.
The present parochial church of THE HOLY CROSS embraces within its walls the nave, side aisles, north porch, and western tower of the Abbey church. It is principally constructed of red stone, and though bearing deep marks of mutilation, is still venerable and spacious, and exhibits many curious and interesting features of ancient architecture. The principal entrance is at the west end under the tower, through a pointed doorway, richly laced with mouldings, skilfully inserted within a deeply recessed semicircular arch, the exterior rib of which springs on each side from a Norman pillar with indented capital. Immediately above rises a magnificent and elegantly proportioned window, its sides and arch enriched with delicate mouldings; in the deep hollow soffits of which is a series of pannels, having foliated arch heads. The outer mouldings of the arch rise high above it, forming a spring canopy, enriched with crockets, and ending in a flower; from which again springs very elegantly a niche or tabernacle, with a high straight-sided canopy, flanked with a small pinnacle at each impost, containing a figure of Edward III. in complete armour. The body of the window to the spring of the arch contains two stories, divided horizontally by embattled transoms, and perpendicularly by six upright mullions into seven compartments. The two central mullions, as they approach the spring of the arch, bisect the head into smaller arches on each side, and these are further subdivided into others, which are uncommonly acute, the interstices of all filled with several tiers of small open pannelled tracery, mingled with trefoiled and quatrefoiled foliage, in beautiful and varied profusion. To the angles of the tower are attached square shallow piers, ending in pointed canopies, and midway of each is a niche, containing statues of St. Peter and St. Paul. Two small double windows light each side of the upper story of the tower, the summit of which is terminated by an unsightly battlement of brick.