366 



variation. The triple "W. doorway is, liowever^ almost entirely 

 confined to class I., though there are instances in class II. {e.g. 

 Kipon, to be considered later) and in class III., Peterborough, 

 Winchester, Bath, and Durham (though the latter requires an 

 explanation which will exclude it). In class IV., as far as I 

 know, it is not to be found. 



The reason why I assign the middle of the 12th century for 

 the introduction of this arrangement is that the earliest instance 

 we have is at Lincoln Cathedral. Here, the central portion of 

 the west facade (to judge from the wide-jointed masonry — an 

 infallible test of 11th century work) is the work of Bishop 

 Remifius (1067 — 1092); and, from excavations made about five 

 years ago, it was conclusively proved that this originally had 

 no west doorways at all, but was entered in all probability 

 under the rich quasi-transeptal gables that project N. and S. 

 from the west towers, although the structural alterations of 

 the 13th century have completely obliterated such entrances. The 

 triple portals were insertions by Bishop Alexander (1123 — 1148), 

 and in one instance show faint traces of Transitional detail, thus 

 placing the work at the extreme end of his episcopate. 



Where we do find triple portals, as at Salisbury, Wells, Lich- 

 field, and even in the great Metropolitical Church of York, 

 where everything else is on so large a scale, they are noteworthy 

 for their comparative insignificance, when we remember the huge 

 cavernous west portals of French cathedrals — often their most 

 striking external feature.* 



In class II. (Augustinian Minsters) the arrangement at 

 Eipon is altogether exceptional, and for its size is by far the 

 grandest design in England. Here the three portals are closely 



* This is the more remarkable since, as Canon Ellacombe (who was 

 in the chair when this Paper was read) observed, the round-arched 

 doorways in our English churches are infinitely finer and grander 

 than the correspondiug ones in France. 



