482 Malmesbury Abbey. 



face, having on the west face a sub-arch at a lower level, like those 

 in the transept passage. Above the second string is an arcade of 

 interlacing arches on detached columns with scalloped capitals, 

 surmounted by the corded string-course of the third stage of the 

 aisle, but at a higher level. Above are the remains of a richly 

 panelled stage, having twisted columns at the angles, continuous 

 lozenge bands on either side, and then an equal number of panels 

 to those below having square pillars with beaded edges and hollows 

 with pellets on the face. The panelling of this stage is continued 

 on the east face of the turret. 



The vice contained in the turret starts from the aisle of the 

 church and continues to the triforium level, where is a wall passage 

 northward, off which goes the vice already mentioned to the clear- 

 story, and a greeze descends to the sill of the west window. The 

 original vice continues upwards, though of smaller radius, and 

 apparently led to the top of the west front, from which the nave 

 gutters could be gained. 



The central portion of the original front has been destroyed save- 

 for the southern half of the lowest stage. This has the continuation 

 of the interlacing arcade and the south jamb and part of the arch 

 of the west doorway. 



The doorway consisted of five members, of which the outer, the 

 third, and fifth are carved with leafwork, and are continuous in 

 arch and jamb. The second and fourth members were intended 

 to have been carved like the south doorway, and the outer member 

 was so treated, but the fourth member is still in block. Both these 

 members are carried on jamb shafts having carved capitals and 

 square abaci. An inner member was inserted in the fourteenth 

 century to strengthen the doorway. 



Above the doorway is a band of plain ashlar surmounted by a 

 moulded string-course of the end of the fourteenth century, and at 

 8 ft. from the south pilaster is the jamb of the great window of the 

 same date, with its springer at 24 ft. above the sill. The window 

 seems to have been of eight lights, and had four lines of transoms 

 with cusped heads. 



When this window was inserted a great square tower was built 



