Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/594

 484 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Feb., aisles, called the Little Transept, with a lofty window rising from the middle of the aisle to nearly the top roof of the choir, and with side windows over the aisles. East of these the clerestory windows are inserted in the inner part of the wall, and an open screen is con- structed before them. This, in Eng- land, is peculiar to the present church ; but a similar feature prevails in some of the ecclesiastical constructions on the Continent. The great eastern window has a similar screen of mullions and tracery, internally. The east end of the building is ex- tremely beautiful. Four very lofty pin- nacles, rising from the buttresses, form the chief outline; they are finished with an open crown, or coronet, out of which rise the crocketed spires. Over the centre and aisles are open- work parapets, which run horizontally ; and are of different patterns. In the centre is a square turret, not very grace- ful, which appears to have been built merely to support the finial, &c, of the great eastern window. The spires, at the corners of the aisles, are rather too slender, for a beautiful proportion ; and their crockets want boldness. The great-window in the centre has a lofty arch, over which is a fine, sweeping ogee moulding, with foliage canopy, remarkable for its fine curve and lofty termination. The buttresses are adorned by niches, with pedestals and canopies, which were formerly filled with several statues, three of which remain. These appear to represent the figure of an archbishop, seated, holding a church in his left hand, and his right hand raised ; much larger than life. A statue of Yavasour is in tolerable preservation ; it has a belt, a short doublet, and hose or boots drawn above its knees, but no mantle ; the countenance is that of an elderly man. Another statue, which seems to have been a graceful figure, now reduced by the weather to a ragged appearance, is said to represent Percj' : he wears a mail gorget and mantle ; his helmet, on which stands a lion (his crest), is on the top of the niche ; and a lion, or dog, is at his feet. These two figures hold in their right hands sam- ples of their benefactions to the church. All the older parts of this end are most lamentably mouldering away. The open tracery of the parapets is reduced to a skeleton ; and all the crockets and pro- jecting grotesques are mere shapeless pieces of crumbling stone. From the top of the chapter-house, we have a most complete view of the north side of the choir. The canopies of the aisle windows are here carved to the shapes of the arches ; the buttresses do not run up into such tall pinnacles, as those on the south side of the nave, and they have neither statues nor niches. The upper windows do not stand so deeply recessed in the walls, which gives them a flat look. No arched or flvino- buttresses have ever existed in this part. The form of the four upper windows, j east of the Little Transept, is partly I concealed by a series of open tracery, exterior appearance of this is rather intricate than beautiful ; but the effect produced within, by subduing the side- lights for the more brilliant display of the great eastern window, sufficiently evinces the reason and skill of this de- sign. The windows nearest the great tower, here, as well as in the nave, are some- what contracted in breadth, and the farthest bay towards the east is also narrower than the rest ; the reason of this latter irregularity is not very ap- parent. Having thus — with the efficient aid of those critical authors, we have from time to time taken hints from — brought our investigation of this wonderful work, as regards its exterior, to a close, we will take a glance at The Interior. The early pointed style prevails in the archi- tectural form and proportions of the Transept. Clustered detached columns, with bands ; bases with deep and bold
 * over which the parapet is carried ; the