THORNTON ABBEY, LINCOLNSHIRE. 359

Trinity. This cstablislniicrit lingored till the accession of Echvard the Sixth, Avhcn it shared the fate of the abbey. A curious discovery was made more than a century ago during sonic excavations near the chapter-house. It was tirst mentioned by Stukeley^ who visited the ruins in 1722 ; he says, "that upon taking down an old wall there, they found a man with a candlestick, table, and book, who was 8up|K)sed to have been immured." Tradition has always asserted that it was an abbot who suffered this punish- ment, and it may be worth while to inquire how far popular l)elief is in this case correct. Two of the abbots of Thorn- ton were persons of doubtful reputation. Thomas Gretham, the fourteenth abbot, was dei)osed in 1393. The author of the jlS. history gave him so bad a character, that a pos- sessor of the work in the last century tore out a leaf con- taining the account of his abbacy "to prevent," says Tanner, in a note to the volume, " scandal to the Church ;" thus in the absence of this leaf we are compelled to rely upon the next suspicious entry in the book. Speaking of Walter ]Iulton, eighteenth abbot, the writer says, under the year 1443, " he died, but in what manner or by what death I know not. He hath no obit, as the other abbots have, and the place of his burial hath not been found." It is almost impos- sible to doubt that this significant passage has allusion to the fate of Walter Multon, who expiated his unrecorded of- fences by suffering that dire punishment, Avhich we have reason to believe the secret and irresponsible monastic tribunals of the middle ages, occasionally inflicted upon their erring brethren^. The only part of the buildings of this abbey which remains at all in a perfect state is the entrance gatehouse. This is one of the finest existing in any part of England, and presents some remarkable features. It is of the Perpendicidar style, and was built soon after the sixth year of Richard the Second, iV.D. 1 382, the date of the license to crenellatc it. Many of its details are extremely beautifid. The approach on the exterior is over a bridge across the moat, protected on both sides by massive brick Avails, with an arcade of pointed arches on the inside, supporting a wall or alure behind a parapet, and a dwarf ■■ Itincraiimn Curiosuin. abbey. Another instance was recently ' The skeleton of a nun thus immured discovered at Temiilc-Bruer, in Lincoln- vas found some years ago at Coldingham shire.