CHEDDAR, WELLS, AND GLASTONfctJRY. Ixiii. 



made enormous extensions eastward. Dean Jex-Blake indicated 

 the point from which he said he thought that the most effective 

 view of the cathedral could be obtained, showing the inter- 

 columnar structure of the Lady Chapel, the building at the 

 extreme east, then the ambulatory or processional path and the 

 retro-choir and altar. He also invited the visitors to admire the 

 superb east window, a Jesse window glowing still with the 

 subdued richness of the original glass of the i4th century. The 

 inverted arches at the transepts, forming with the arches below 

 St. Andrew crosses, could not be admired for their beauty ; but 

 they were ingenious structural devices to strengthen the walls to 

 withstand the downward thrust of the enormous weight of the 

 tower. In the west front there were no less than 300 statues 

 all in due order, at the top our Lord enthroned, with the 

 Madonna on one side and St. John on the other, and beneath 

 them, not angels, but the Apostles, who had had actual earthly 

 contact with Him. Below the apostles were set angels, and 

 below the angels men and women starting from their sepulchres 

 at the Last Judgment, some in shame and fear, and others in 

 faith and confidence. 



The Dean then pointed out the tomb of Bishop Bekinton, 

 who died in 1465, on which traces of the original vermilion and 

 gold could still be seen ; and the tomb of Ralph of Shrewsbury, 

 who first started the Vicars Choral as a college. He next led 

 them to the undercroft of the Chapter House, built about 1280, 

 and upstairs into the Library, where amongst other treasures he 

 showed a MS. of the Vulgate in small writing probably of the 

 1 3th century, and a copy of Aristotle which belonged to Erasmus, 

 containing his autograph. Next the party mounted the stone 

 staircase to the lovely Chapter House, with its artistic geometrical 

 windows and roof, and the double doorway. 



THE VICARS CHORAL. 



They then passed out of the precincts of the Dean and Chapter 

 into those of the Vicars Choral, and were met by the principal 



