By C. H. Talbot, Esq. 



31 



windows was filled with such glass, their introduction must have 

 been attended with a considerable increase of light. 



The south porch was entirely cased over, but its outer arch of 

 entrance, though of the fourteenth century, takes the circular form 

 and the Norman terminals of the original hood moulding have been 

 re-adapted to the later one. Porch, aisles and clerestory are finished 

 with an open parapet which, however, was not introduced on the 

 north side of the church. To my mind, the clerestory is a very 

 elegant one. The fourteenth century alterations extended to the 

 transepts and, not improbably, to the constructional choir or pres- 

 bytery. The Norman lantern-tower was probably a low one and, 

 on it, in later times, was erected a lofty spire, the tower itself 

 probably being considerably raised. We have no evidence of the 

 date of this work, but, probably, it was either contemporaneous 

 with or shortly succeeded the general conversion. The monks may, 

 perhaps, have been ambitious to emulate what had been done at Salis- 

 bury. It is, of course, well known to you that the magnificent spire 

 of Salisbury Cathedral and the whole upper part of the tower, is no 

 part of the original design and that it has, from the first, placed in 

 jeopardy the church which it still continues to adorn. Not eon- 

 tent with this, the monks of Malmesbury proceeded, in the fifteenth 

 century, to build a great tower at the west end and they executed it 

 in a very bold manner, erecting it within the limits of the church, 

 on the fourteenth century work, and without adequate supports, 

 building its east wall on an arch thrown over the vaulting, so as not 

 to interfere with the vista of the nave ; at the same time, making a 

 great window in the west front and inserting a doorway within the 

 Norman west door. To support this tower, an additional flying 

 buttress was erected over an older one, on the south side, and also a 

 buttress across one of the clerestory windows, two arches below 

 having been introduced under the Norman work, perhaps a little 

 earlier, and the triforium opening apparently first partially and then 

 entirely walled up. About the same time a vault was erected under 

 the Norman lantern and, perhaps for the sake of not letting them 

 alone on principle, those Norman windows in the aisles, which had 

 escaped being improved away, had mullions and tracery introduced. 



