By C. H. Talbot, Esq. 



229 



Exterior of the North Wall of the Church. 

 On this side there have been several vertical stone pipes, for 

 I carrying off the water from the church roof. I believe them to 

 be uncommon. They were very short, and seem intended to con- 

 vey the water to a roof at a lower level. One remains, near Sir 

 j W. Sherrington's tower, and two more are shown as perfect in 

 Harrison's drawing, but only their upper stones are now left. 



Under the balustrade, itself a Renaissance addition, is a corbel- 

 table, which may perhaps be Early English. If it be so, then 

 ■ that in the same position on the south side, has been removed from 

 the south wall of the church. 



The Cloisters.' 



The cloisters form three sides of a square. There are no signs 

 of the fourth side having been erected, though it must have been 

 intended, aud there is some disagreement in the relative positions 

 of the buttresses at the north-west and south-west angles. 



Beginning at the west end of the south walk, the first two bays 

 are transitional from Decorated to Perpendicular ; the arches are 

 two-centred, and the vaulting springs from piers, with four small 

 vaulting-shafts attached. In the angle, a winding stair-case of 

 the same date, ascends to the floor above, and probably led to the 

 abbess's private chambers. 



) Under the second bay is a stone slab which once held a Per- 

 pendicular brass, to the memory of the foundress Ela Countess of 

 Salisbury. It has been probably removed from its original position 

 in the church. The inscription has been published. 



The mason's marks still remain upon many of the arches. 



The remainder of the cloister is mostly of one character, of rather 

 late Perpendicular. The arches are four-centred, and the groining 

 springs from single shafts. The design of the windows is rather 

 poor, but that of the interior is very good. 



I shall not enter on the devices of the bosses of the roof, which 

 have been frequently described. 



At the north end of the east walk I discovered a Perpendicular 

 doorway, which led to a passage, described above. Close to it is 



VOL XII. — NO. XXXV. S 



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