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On the Original Position of the High Altar 
at Salishury Cathedral. 
By the Rey. Canon W. H. Jonus, M.A., F.S.A., 
Vicar of Bradford-on-Avon, 
T is now some two years ago since an interesting discussion 
Ss @ was raised, in the first instance, by a letter printed in the 
Salisbury Journal, as to what would be the proper position of the 
altar in the Cathedral at Salisbury. The writer, the Rev. H. T. 
Armfield, contended, on grounds to which allusion shall be made 
presently, that it ought to be placed at the east end of the present 
choir, and not as now at the east end of the presbytery ; denoting 
by the latter term, the space enclosed by the three large bays im- 
mediately west of the Lady Chapel. 
On the other hand, Sir Gilbert Scott contended that the spot in 
which it now stands was that on which it stood from the first. He 
set forth his reasons in a pamphlet, which as far as it goes is con- 
vincing enough. It is right to add, that when the subject was 
brought before the Society of Antiquaries the opinions expressed 
were decidedly in favor of his view.1_ And during the progress of 
the works, if I am not misinformed, there were discovered at this 
same spot what seemed likely enough to have been the foundations 
of an altar. 
But allowing all this, the question still remains—Was this after 
all the original position of the high altar? No doubt it was moved 
at an early period to its present place, but may it not at the first 
have stood elsewhere? This question suggested itself to more than 
one of those who were present at our last meeting, when we paid a 
visit to the Cathedral. It led afterwards to a discussion on my own 
* See their ‘* Proceedings,” for Jan. 27th, 1876, vol. vi. p. 476, 
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