that had the bell-tower
built separate from the main structure, though this same plan is
followed in Chichester Cathedral. In Dereham Church is the grave of
Cowper, who spent his last years in the town. The entire end of the nave
is occupied by an elaborate memorial window of stained glass, depicting
scenes and incidents of the poet's life and works. To the rear of the
church is the open tomb of one of the Saxon princesses, and near it is a
tablet reciting how this grave had been desecrated by the monks of Ely,
who stole the relics and conveyed them to Ely Cathedral. Numerous
miracles were claimed to have been wrought by the relics of the
princess, who was famed for her piety. The supposed value of these
relics was the cause of the night raid on the tomb--a practice not
uncommon in the days of monkish supremacy. The bones of saint or martyr
had to be guarded with pious care or they were likely to be stolen by
the enterprising churchmen of some rival establishment. Shortly
afterwards, it would transpire that miracles were being successfully
performed by the relics in the hands of the new possessors.

Leaving the main road a detour of a few miles enabled us to visit
Crowland Abbey shortly before reaching Peterborough. It is a remarkable
ruin, rising out of the flat fen country, as someone has said, "like a
light-house out of the sea." Its oddly shaped tower is visible for
miles, and one wide arch of the nave still stands, so light and airy in
its gracefulness that it seems hardly possible it is built of heavy
blocks of stone. A portion of the church has been restored and is used
for services, but a vast deal of work was necessary to arrest the
settling of the heavy walls on their insecure foundations. The cost of
the restoration must have been very great, and the people of Crowland
must have something of the spirit of the old abbey builders themselves,
to have financed and carried out such a work. Visitors to the church are
given an opportunity to contribute to the fund--a common thing in such
cases. Crowland is a gray, lonely little town in the midst of the wide
fen country. The streets were literally thronged with children of all
ages; no sign of race suicide in this bit of Lincolnshire. Everywhere
is evidence of antiquity--there is much far older than the old abbey in
Crowland. The most notable of all is the queer three-way arched stone
bridge in the center of the village--a remarkable relic of Saxon times.
It seems st