following the dissolution, the abbey is said to have served for a time as the residence of john clerk, bishop of bath and wells, a veteran diplomat of henry viii; the king seizing the bishop’s own london residence in compensation. it also came to house officers of the tower of london. in 1552, under edward vi, it was given to henry grey, 1st duke of suffolk, the father of lady jane grey. in 1554 it reverted to government use, housing the ordnance office and its stores, transferred there from the tower of london. some of the abbey buildings survived until their destruction by fire in 1797.