At Salisbury Cathedral. 141 
presbytery, was raised two or three steps. Before this time, the floor, 
as at first laid down, was probably not raised at all, but was on a 
level with the aisles. The floor thus raised covered the top of the 
stone-bench, and entirely concealed it. An additional stone-skirting 
was therefore put on the top of it, which completely hid the bases 
of the marble columns. The exact height of this new pavement 
may be ascertained, not only by observing the remains of these steps 
(and our drawing will explain this point) but, as it seemed to us, by 
examining the masonry at the foot of the doorway of what is called 
the Audley Chantry. For the floor of this chantry was originally 
either on a level with this pavement or only one step above it, 
though at some subsequent time a further alteration took place, and 
a step was added at its entrance. 
It may further be noticed, that, as far as we were able to ascertain 
the fact, there are no indications of the columns, which surround the 
Cathedral east of the line ¢.d, having been pierced by cramps or 
other appliances for supporting a grating between them, to separate 
the space enclused,—(as of course a presbytery would have been sepa- 
rated)—from the aisles. Neither are there any signs of iron-bars 
having been inserted for a like purpose into the stone bench in this part 
of the Cathedral, on which here as elsewhere the columns rest. 
Around what is now, as it always has been, the choir, such marks are 
distinelly traceable in the stone-bench. It is quite true that the 
spaces between these columns east of the line ¢ d were once enclosed, 
but the construction of the wall was certainly no part of the original 
design, inasmuch as the bases and lower portion of the marble shafts 
must have been imbedded in the masonry ; whereas the fact of their 
having been finished off with care proves that at the first they were 
exposed to view. Moreover the way in which this enclosing wall 
was inserted proves that it was a subsequent addition. Price des- 
eribes it as having been “a plain wall on the outside standing on a 
deep plinth, while the inside was adorned with niches, &c.” And 
this screen, if so it may be termed, in no part tailed into any other 
portion of the stone work, but was simply built up against it; and 
marks, showing the height and thickness of this screen, as we may 
term it, can still be seen in the discoloration of some of the pillars, 
