Malmesbury was the seat of King Æthelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great and considered the first King of England from 927 to 939AD by modern historians after conquering the last Viking kingdom of York. His remains are buried in the Abbey, itself remarkable as one of the few religious houses in continuous use since the 7th century and surviving the Dissolution of the Monastries. It is a curious building, a third of the size it once was due to a collapse of its spire and the tower that supported it during a storm around 1500 which also destroyed the nave and much of the transcept. The old part of the town sits on a hilltop that was once surrounded by walls, much of which survive today. It is almost entirely surrounded by the head-waters of the River Avon, and it home to several freshwater springs. It was once a seat of learning due to its monastry. It also has many unused doors.