Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/596

 486 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [Feb., Nothing finer, than the interior of the lantern, could be imagined. The gallery is at once elegant and simple, the windows of a size sufficient to fill the whole interior with a brilliant light, just adorned with a small quantity of colored glass, to prevent a glaring effect. Between the nave and the choir is a splendid Stone Screen, which now sus- tains the organ. It is, as a work of art, truly magnificent. Its parts are every- where charged with rich ornaments ; and the variety and intricacy of its compli- cated members is as much a matter of wonder as delight. Near its centre is an arched doorway of entrance to the choir, the exterior moulding of which assumes the ogee shape and terminates with a richly sculptured finial. The whole screen consists of a series of fif- teen compartments of niches, with cor- responding pedestals, canopies, and statues, from William the Conqueror down to Henry V. They are of the natural size, dressed in their ancient regal costumes, enriched with singular ornaments, and all in high preservation. After passing through this screen, we are introduced to the Choir, which is grand in scale and rich in adornment. On each side is a series of twenty stalls, with twelve at the west end, beneath the organ. These are of oak ; and are par- ticularly rich in their canopies and carved decorations. Each seat, or stall, has its movable misericordia, with pro- jecting rests for the elbows, from which rise two detached slender columns sup- porting an elaborate canopy. The Cathedra, or Archbishop's Throne, stands on > the south side and the pulpit opposite to it. At the eastern end of the choir is the altar-table, raised above the regular floor, by a series of fifteen steps. Behind it is a handsome screen, with mullions, tracery, a parapet, &c. Its open dayes, or lights, are filled with plate glass, which affords a view of the elegant eastern window. On the north side of the altar — over the grated window, that lights the crypt — is an ancient gallery, to which there is an ascent by a flight of narrow stairs, formed of solid blocks of oak. The ex- terior of this gallery is very neat; and it is certainly older than the Reforma- tion. A little bow-window, in the north side, gives a complete view into the aisle ; and, opposite to it, is a very small loop-hole, in the stone wall, which affords a view into the room behind the high altar. It had also a door into that room. The floor, in which is a strong trap-door, is boarded. Behind the stalls of the choir are closets, some of which are used as ves- tries by the singing men ; modern stair- cases have been constructed, leading to the galleries erected above, which dis- figure the view into the aisles. There were anciently three altars in the choir : St. Stephen's, Our Lady's, and the High Altar in the centre. On each side of the latter was a doorway to the apartment, between the screens, where the archbishop used, on solemn festivals, to put on some of his robes ; and which, here as in otlier places, was sometimes improperly styled the " Sanc- tum Sanctorum." The roof of the choir is of a loftier pitch, than that of the nave, and is actually higher by some feet. The ribs are also more numerous ; and cross each other in angular compartments. East of the altar-screen is a large open space, occupied by A'arious monuments. The walls in the aisles are paneled with mouldings, which parti}' correspond with the windows. Niches fill up the spaces between the windows and pilas- ters. The splendid east window may be said to vie with that at the west end of the nave, in its architectural design and glazed enrichment. Its height and breadth nearly correspond with the space of the choir ; and the number of historical subjects on the glass amounts to nearly two hundred. The design of the great east window is at once very fine and simple. Three