Show cleaners working in westminster abbey unearth dwelling place of anchorite cleaners working in westminster abbey recently discovered the site of the cell where the abbeys anchorite or holy man kept lonely vigil centuries ago it was in this cell tradition says that wild young henry V spent a repentant night when his father the fourth king henry died in the jerusalem chamber of the abbey the discovery was disclosed by lawrence tanner keeper of the muniments muni ments of the abbey he said the rind find was made during cleaning operations on a monument in st benedicts chapel to dr gabriel goodman a former dean of westminster who died in 1601 the monument shows the dean kneeling at a praying desk behind the praying desk was found in the stonework a little window so placed that anyone looking through would see the altar of the chapel tanner said just to the side of monument is a door now blocked which had as it had seemed to us for years no obvious purpose taking this door in conjunction with the newly discovered window and bearing in mind other features we concluded that the door led to a little room outside abutting on the abbey and therein must have dwelt the abbey hermit or recluse through that door must have passed henry V on the night of his fathers death when the young king spent the night with the abbey recluse and vowed to lead a new life tanner explained that the hermit usually was an elderly monk regarded as no longer fit for active work and given the job of anchorite as a sort of retirement |