472 Malrnesbury Abbey. 



capitals, and the clearstory had a wall passage like the presbytery, 

 but lined with ashlar, indicating that the fourteenth century re- 

 modelling occurred on both sides of the transept. 



The transept had originally a flat ceiling, on to which was a round 

 doorway from the first gallery of the lantern — in fact, the lantern 

 gallery would connect the spaces in the roof over each arm of the 

 cross by means of similar openings. 



A fragment of part of the foundation of the northern part of the 

 west wall was found, with one course of its wall face next the 

 cloister. 



The crossing originally carried a great square lantern 44 ft. from 

 north to south by 41ft. from east to west, and still retains its north 

 and west arches, with the responds and springers of the others 

 (fig. 13). 



The west arch is semicircular, and springs at 40 ft. from the 

 floor off a slightly projecting corbel : there are no responds, but a 

 couple of semi-columns recessed in the wall carry the line down to 

 the floor. The arcli is of three members with a label, and a curious 

 feature is that each member is narrower at the springing than the 

 apex. The innermost member is moulded and double like that of 

 the nave arcade. 



The north arch is semicircular and similar to the west arch, but 

 being much narrower is stilted considerably above the line of 

 springing. It is carried on bold responds having half columns to 

 take the inner member, and a nook shaft on either side to take the 

 two outer members. The capitals are curiously moulded but not 

 •carved, and have square abaci. 



Above the arches internally ran an open arcade in front of a j 

 wall passage ; it consisted on each side of the lantern of three i 

 main arches having flat piers ornamented with beaded lozenges, 

 and containing a pair of smaller arches carried on triple columns. ! 

 The whole of this arcade and the wall passage was built up when 

 the tower was raised, but three stones of the dividing piers show 

 on the north and west sides, and now the inner divisions have been 

 opened out in the centre arch of the latter (fig. 2). 



The tower was apparently raised towards the end of the fourteenth 



