114 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



from the west door to the choir, is 213 feet, the breadth 153 feet ; 

 the breadth of the side aisles 67 feet, and the height of the nave 

 60 feet. 



In the year 1788, the present Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, 

 and the Dean and Chapter, circulated an address throughout the 

 diocese, inviting individuals to contribute by subscription to the 

 internal improvement of this Cathedral. Upwards of ,5000. was 

 soon collected, but as the sum requisite, was, according to the 

 estimate of Mr. Wyatt, the architect, nearly '6000. the borrowed 

 sum of o1800. was added as a debt upon the edifice. The im- 

 provements suggested by Mr. Wyatt were then speedily realized. 

 The pulpit and pews in the nave were removed, the decayed brick 

 floor taken up, and a new floor of Derbyshire Hopton stone laid 

 instead of the former. The choir was also enlarged, by throwing 

 it and St. Mary's Chapel into one, and it is now sufficiently capa- 

 cious to contain the whole congregation. In the upper part of the 

 choir are nine windows, three on each side, and three at the end. 

 In the central window at the east end is a fine painting of the 

 Resurrection, from a design by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The chaste 

 but brilliant effect of the preternatural light, the graceful form of 

 the ascending Saviour, and the animated expression of the counte- 

 nance, have excited the admiration of all visitors, and the appro- 

 bation of connoisseurs. 



In 1797, the groins, walls, and roof of the north transept under- 

 went a thorough repair, the whole edifice was completely pointed, 

 the middle spire taken down a considerable way and rebuilt with 

 renovated beauty, and new buttresses erected to support the south 

 transept. 



The Chapter-House is an octagon of two long and six short 

 sides, ornamented with gothic arches : the approach to it is from 

 the north choral aisle, through an arched passage : above it is 

 the library, of the same form. It contains some curious manu- 

 scripts, the most remarkable of which is called St. Chadd's Gospels, 

 not because it was used by that venerable man, but because it was 

 used in his church. It is said to be 1000 years old, but no anti- 

 quary has hitherto been able to ascertain the fact : the writing is 

 in ancient Saxon characters, illuminated with several drawings. 

 There is also a manuscript copy of Pope Nicholas's Valor, a fairly- 

 written folio of Chaucer's poems, illuminated, and a beautiful 

 heraldic list of the Knights of the Garter, &c. This library con- 

 tains a copy of the Koran, taken from the Turks at the siege of 



