The CATHEDRAL of Winchester is one of the most interesting buildings in England, whether considered with respect to the "antiquity of its foundation, the importance of the scenes that have been transacted in it, or the characters of the personages with whose mortal remains it is enriched and hallowed." It is also curious as an instructive example of architecture, whether of the Saxon, Norman, or English style, but particularly of the latter, both in its early and improved state.

The structure erected by the Saxon Kings, Kinegils and Kenewalch, is entirely destroyed; but of that built by Ethelwold, the Crypt, beneath the high altar, is yet remaining: some other parts, as the low aisles at the east end, have been attributed to his age, but erroneously. The walls, the pillars, and the groining of this crypt, are still in nearly their original state, and are, as Mr. Milner observes, "executed in a fine and bold, though simple and unadorned, manner, that gives no contemptible idea of Saxon art."*

"The Saxon Church, built by Kenewalch," continues this gentleman, "did not extend so far towards the west, probably by 150 feet, as Walkelin afterwards built it. In consequence of this scale of the ancient Church, its high altar, tower, transept, and the habitations of the monks, were considerably more to the east, than they were afterwards placed. Walkelin began his work by taking down all that part of the Church that was to the west of the aforesaid tower, in the place of which he built up from the VOL. VI. DEC. 1804. Ꭰ . foundations,

* History of Winchester, Vol. II. p. 8. "The chief alterations of a later date, are the following: a new crypt, with pointed arches, has been made under the eastern extremity of the Lady Chapel; and several masses of masonry have been raised in both crypts; either to form sepulchres for bodies, the monuments of which are above, or to support the fabric over them, which in these parts is extremely defective; a great quantity of rubbish and earth has accumulated on the pavement, which hides the same, together with the bases of the pillars. The entrance into the crypts through what is called the Holy Hole, has been obstructed, and another made from the water-close, under the south-east aisle of the fabric." Ibid. Note. Another entrance has also been made under the north-east aisle from Paradise Garden.

foundations, the present large and massive tower, which hence bore his name; the lofty and capacious north and south transepts, and the body of the Church of the same height with them, and reaching to the full extent of the present fabric. He also built new cloisters, with all the other offices requisite for a Cathedral monastery, in the situation which they ever afterwards held, on the south-west side of the Church." Walkelin's buildings were completed in the year 1093, in the course of which, all the offices that had been left standing of the ancient Monastery, and whatever else remained of the old Church, except the high altar, and eastern aisles, were taken down; and in the next year, the old high altar appears to have been removed, as the relics of St. Swithin, and other saints, were then found under it.*

Abundant specimens of the work of Walkelin yet remain. "The most conspicuous of these," observes Mr. Milner, "is the square massive tower,† 140 feet high, and fifty feet broad, which is seen at the present day, in so perfect and firm a state to all appearance, as when it was built 700 years ago, and which was celebrated in ancient times for being the firmest in all England. It bears internal evidence of the age in which it was built, in the general simplicity and massiveness of its architecture, in its circular windows, adorned with the chevron, and billeted mouldings, and in the capitals and ornaments of its pillars. The inside. of the tower, in both its stories above the present ceiling, and up to the very covering of it, is finished with the utmost care, and adorned with various ornaments, chiefly those above-mentioned.

History, &c. of Winchester, Vol. II. p. 12.

The

+ Mr. Gilpin allows that the history of Winchester is full of curiosity; and that its antiquities serve to illustrate its history: but amongst all its antiquities, he recollects no object of beauty except the old cross. Speaking of the Cathedral as the work of William of Wykeham (only) he expresses his surprise that so elegant an architect should have erected a structure so heavy and disproportioned as the tower; forgetting doubtless that the tower was erected by Walkelin 300 years before Wykeham existed! It is certainly, though heavy in appearance, one of the most magnificent specimens of Norman architecture in this kingdom.

The transepts are also the work of Walkelin; and though they have been the most neglected of any part of the fabric, yet are they in a far more firm and secure state, than any portion of the building that is of a later construction. It is necessary, however, carefully to distinguish the original work from the alterations that have since been introduced: of the former sort, are the walls up to the very summits of them, with their thin perpendicular buttresses, and their narrow simple mouldings; of the same date and workmanship are the whole of the several windows in both transepts, being large and well proportioned, with circular heads, ornamented with the billeted mouldings, and supported on each side by a plain Saxon (Norman) pillar, with a rude kind of square frieze and cornice, resembling those which are seen between the lights in the tower. The alterations that have been introduced into the transepts since Walkelin's time, are chiefly found in the windows; a great proportion of these have been changed at different periods, and in various styles and fashions. In many of them, the circular arch, and billeted moulding, are left to remain; and a pointed window, with Gothic mullions, is inserted under them: in others these have been quite taken away, and a pointed arch has been made to receive the window: in like manner, the St. Catherine's Wheel, on the north front of the said transept, is evidently of a later date than the Norman founder."+

The next alterations made in the Cathedral, were executed under the direction of that eminent Prelate Godfrey de Lucy, who D 2

appears

"The interlaced arch-work on the upper part of the south tran sept, above the clock," is also mentioned by Mr. Milner, as part of the original work, but this is evidently of a later date.

The Catherine Wheel in some degree resembles the circles of tracery-work in the vaulting of Bishop Waynflete's chantry. It might, however, have been inserted by Bishop Fox, or his cotemporary, Prior Silkstede, about the time that the other alterations were made in the Cathedral, that is about the beginning of the sixteenth century. It is probably the largest in England, its diameter being nearly thirteen feet: that at Elgin Cathedral, Scotland, is only ten feet in diameter.