DK CLARKE OS HOLY ISLAND I'KIOKY. 113 



has generally undergone a change, by the insertion of windows of a later 

 style, leaving only the Norman door below to point to the real date of 

 the structure. Here, we have a door of great depth and richness of ef- 

 fect from the number and boldness of the ornaments. On either side 

 are plain semicircular blank arches but not intersecting and the whole 

 was flanked by towers, one of which still exists. Of the nave, the south- 

 ern portion as well as the south aisle, is entirely gone, but that on the 

 north is tolerably complete. The piers, with their capitals, which bore 

 up the arches, are of various patterns, channelled, lozenged, shafted, and 

 shewing in their sculptured surfaces, and the various fretwork of the 

 arches, that is, in the only decoration which the style admitted the 

 germ of that inexhaustible variety and multiplicity of ornament which 

 was in the sequel to characterize the Gothic. 



The nave, as well as aisles, has been vaulted in stone, as is evidenced 

 from the vaulting shafts, and commencing springers still seen at the junc- 

 tion of the nave and transepts, and from the curve of the vault itself, 

 yet traceable at the west end, but denuded of its ribs. This is a re- 

 markable and almost singular instance of the centre aisle of a Norman 

 building receiving a vault of stone. Both in England and on the Con- 

 tinent, the nave was covered simply by a flat boarded roof, to which were 

 in a great degree owing the frequent and destructive fires of our early 

 churches. 



There are six arches in the nave, but the last is of smaller dimensions 

 than the rest. This peculiarity is not unfrequent in Norman and Go- 

 thic churches, as if the architect had not previously calculated the space 

 to be occupied by his arcade. The effect here has been to produce a 

 horse-shoe instead of a semicircular arch, from its being of the same 

 height, but lesser span, than the others. This arch is very rare, even in 

 Norman buildings. 



Above the pier-arches there has existed a triforium, of which the only 

 remains arc a single shaft at either end of the nave, the beginning and 

 termination of the arcade. The Norman triforium is in England simply 

 a row of openings or pannels in the wall, to fill up, ornamentally, what 

 would otherwise have been a blank space. In Germany it is a real gal- 

 lery, and appropriated to the young men, and called the Manner-chor. 



Of the vaulting of the north aisle one arch still remains, but flattened 

 at top, and only retained in its position by the wedge-form of the stones 

 which compose it. This will soon fall, and yet might be easily preserved. 

 The vaulting was quadripartite the piers, with their cushioned capi- 

 tals, and transverse ribs, are yet seen. In one or two places, the vault- 

 ing from pier to pier yet remains, though the ribs which would have ap- 

 peared to support it are gone. This is a proof that the ribs used in 

 vaulting were introduced merely to satisfy the mind by appearing to 

 support the arches above, and that the eye, which had been accustomed 



