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The High Atar at Kirkstall
Thomas Gent visited the abbey ruins in 1731 and
saw the remains of the High
Altar at the east end of the church. The locals from Bramley
explained to him how the altar had been destroyed by three Bramley
men, two of whom were brothers. On one occasion when the men entered
the abbey they were irritated for some reason that the altar stood
in their way and attempted to move it; in doing so they broke the
altar, leaving remains of the stone in the east end of the church.
The offenders soon had their comeuppance and the two brothers were
drowned shortly thereafter when crossing the river; an elderly localman,
Richard Bramley, who was a keen fisherman described how for almost
three weeks he had looked for the bodies as far as Leeds when they
finally surfaced over against that part of the church where
the altar stone was laid; Gent explains that the third offender
came to no untimely end and concludes, Let the
world judge of this, for vengeance will pursue those who defile
the places where God has been worshipped.
[This is recounted in History, Description
and Guide to Kirkstall Abbey (near Leeds) (London) pp. 24-5.]
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