Show Cleaners 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 abbey's anchorite anchor anchor- ite or holy man kept lonely vigil centuries ago It was in this cell tradition says that wild young Henry Hen ry V spent a repentant night when his father the thc fourth King Henry died in th the Jerusalem cha chamber ber of the abbey The Thc discovery was disclosed by Lawrence Tanner keeper of the muniments of the abbey He said the find was made during cleaning operations on a monument In St. St Benedicts Benedict's chapel to Dr Gabriel Goodman a former dean of Westminster Westminster West West- I minster who died in 1601 The monument monument monument mon mon- shows the dean kneeling at a praying desk Behind the praying desk was found in the stone stonework ork a little window window window win win- dow so placed that anyone looking through would see the thc altar of the chapel Tanner said Just to the thc side of monument Is Isa isa isa a door now blocked blocked blocked- which had as asIt asit asit It h had d' d seemed to us for ye years rs no obvious purpose Taking this door In conjunction with the thc newly discovered window and bearing In mind other features we concluded that the door led to a little room outside abutting ors 01 the abb abbey y and therein must have dwelt the abbey hermit or recluse I Through that door must have passed Henry V on the night ir of his fathers father's death when the young young- king spent the night with the abbey recluse recluse recluse re re- re- re cluse and vowed to lead a new life ilie Tanner explained explain cd that the hermit usually was an elderly monk regarded regard regard- ed as no longer fit for active work and given the the job of anchorite as a sort of retirement |