antiquity.  St. Nicholas’s Church was mentioned in documents connected with the abbey as early as 1189, and some of its windows contained old stained glass formerly belonging to it, and said to represent the patron saint of the church restoring to life some children who had been mutilated and pickled by the devil.  There was also a fine old tomb which contained the remains of John Blacknall and Jane his wife, who appeared to have died simultaneously, or, as recorded, “at one instant time at the house within the site of the dissolved monastery of the Blessed Virgin Marie, of Abingdon, whereof he was owner.”  The following was the curious inscription on the tomb: 

Here rest in assurance of a joyful resurrection the Bodies of John Blacknall, Esquire, and his wife, who both of them finished an happy course upon earth and ended their days in peace on the 21st day of August in the year of our Lord 1625.  He was a bountiful benefactor of this Church—­gave many benevolencies to the poor—­to the Glory of God—­to the example of future ages: 

  When once they liv’d on earth one bed did hold
  Their Bodies, which one minute turned to mould;
  Being dead, one Grave is trusted with the prize,
  Until that trump doth sound and all must rise;
  Here death’s stroke even did not part this pair,
  But by this stroke they more united were;
  And what left they behind you plainly see,
  An only daughter, and their charitie. 
  And though the first by death’s command did leave us,
  The second we are sure will ne’er deceive us.

This church, however, was very small compared with its larger neighbour dedicated to St. Helen, which claims to be one of the four churches in England possessing five aisles, probably accounting for the fact that its breadth exceeded its length by about eleven feet.  The oldest aisle dates from the year 1182, and the church contains many fine brasses and tombs, including one dated 1571, of John Roysse, citizen and mercer of London, who founded the Abingdon Grammar School.  There is also a stone altar-tomb in memory of Richard Curtaine, who died in 1643, and who was described as “principalle magistrate of this Corpe”; on the tomb was this charming verse in old English lettering: 

  Our Curtaine in this lower press. 
  Rests folded up in nature’s dress;
  His dust P.fumes his urne, and hee
  This towne with liberalitee.

Abingdon is fortunate in having so many benefactors, who seem to have vied with each other in the extent of their gifts; even the church itself is almost surrounded with almshouses, which, owing to their quaint architectural beauty, form a great attraction to visitors.  It is doubtful whether any town in England of equal size possesses so many almshouses as Abingdon.  Those near this church were built in the year 1446 by the Fraternity or Guild of the Holy Cross, and the fine old hospital which adjoined them, with its ancient