siderable remains, particularly three windows, and three arches under them. These arches were embellished in a very elegant stile of sculpture, but the greatest profusion of ornaments appears to have been on the compartments which formed the fascia of the centre arch, or doorway. The almonry of the convent was at the south-west extre mity of the church. It is now the house of the fifth prebendary, and this stall is annexed, by act of parliament, to the provostship of Oriel College in Oxford. There was within memory a gate adjoining to the gable end of this house, which inclosed this part of the precinct, now called College Green,

THE CATHERDAL.

Augustine, archbishop of Canterbury, established an episcopal see at Rochester about the year 604, and king Ethelbert built a church for Justus, the first bishop. An entirely new fabric was erected by Gundulphus, who was promoted to this diocese in 1077, and continued in it till his death, which happened in March 1107. He is said to have finished his plan before his decease, and several parts of the present fabric were doubtless of his construction; the beautiful west door has been attributed to him, and the stile of its sculpture shews it could not be the work of a much later period. It has a semicircular arch, agreeably to the early Norman architecture, with several members unfortunately mutilated, containing a great variety of ornaments. Beneath the crown is the figure of Our Saviour sitting on a throne, with a book open in his left hand resting upon his knee, the right hand being raised in the attitude of blessing; but the hand is broken off, as is likewise the head, though the nimbus or glory is discernible. The throne is supported on the right by St. Mark, and on the left by St. John the Evangelist; they have their usual symbols, the lion and the eagle; and above their heads are doves. On the north side of the door is the statue of king Henry I. and on the south that of Matilda his queen. Henry was present at a dedication of this cathedral by archbishop Corboyl, on May 11, 1130, and was after.

wards

wards a benefactor to the neighbouring priory; bishop Gundulph had been confessor to the queen. In a niche of the west front of the north-west tower of the nave, is a very antient episcopal figure standing upon a shrine, designed, as it is thought, for Gundulph. The old tower was taken down in 1763; the statue was an ornament of that tower, but placed in the north-side of it, facing the gate of entrance, from the city into the precincts. The ground at the west end is so much raised, that there is a descent by several steps into the body of the cathedral, which consists of a nave and two side aisles. The dimensions of this church are: from the west door to the steps leading up to the choir one hundred and fifty feet; from thence to the east wall of the chancel one hundred and fifty-six feet; total three hundred and six feet. The transept between the nave and the choir is in length, from north to south, one hundred and twenty-two feet. The east transept is in length, from north to south, ninety feet.

In the original plan of Gundulph's church, it is not unlikely there might be a tower over the steps leading up to the choir. When the alteration was made in the columns and arches at the east end of the nave, and the cross aisles were erected, this tower must have been rebuilt; but bishop Haymo de Hethe, in 1343, raised the tower higher with stoires and timber, which he covered with lead, and placed in it four bells, named Dunstan, Paulinus, Ithamar, and Lanfranc. In 1749 Mr. Sloane, an architect of Gravesend, built the present steeple. There are in the tower six bells, and the height of it is one hundred and thirty-six feet.

The choir was made with the offerings at the tomb of William, a charitable Scotch baker, who was by the device of some crafty monk converted into a martyr and a saint; because, whilst travelling towards the Holy Land, he was unfortunately murdered and robbed near Rochester by his servant: but the work was manifestly completed upon an economical plan, the architect having been very sparing in bis ornaments. Very considerable alterations and improvements were made in the choir in the years 1742 and Cc 2

1743

1713, under the direction of Mr. Sloane; new stalls and pews were erected, the partition walls wainscotted, and the pavement laid with Bremen and Portland stone beautifully disposed. The choir was also new furnished, and the episcopal throne erected at the expence of Dr. Joseph Wilcocks, bishop of the diocese. The pillars, which are of Petworth marble, were then injudiciously white-washed, but they have been since polished and restored to their original beauty; the altar-piece, which is made of Norway oak, is plain and neat. Dr. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, who was many years dean of the cathedral, gave fifty pounds towards ornamenting this part of the church. There was then only a pannel of wainscot in the middle, in the place of which was fixed a large piece of rich velvet in a frame elegantly carved and gilt. This was removed a few years ago, and it is now decorated with a picture of The Angels appearing to the Shepherds, by WEST. Adjoining to the south wall of the chancel there are three elegant stone seats. In the front of these seats are three shields, bearing the arms of the see of Rochester; the centre bears the arms of the priory of Christchurch, Canterbury; and the third emblazoned with the arms of the prior and convent of St. Andrew, the tutelar saint of this cathedral. Formerly there were episcopal portraits in each of the niches; one of them was a picture of bishop John de Shepey, who died in 1360. He was buried at the foot of these stalls, and his remains were covered with a flat stone, removed when the choir was new paved. Perhaps these stalls may have answered the purpose of a cenotaph for this bishop. From the stile of their architecture they do not seem to have been of an earlier period. >

.: Within the communion rails are four tombs: the uppermost against the north wall has been assigned to bishop Lawrence de St. Martin, who died June 3, 1274; the lower to bishop Gilbert de Glanville, who died June 24, 1214. The tomb nearest the stalls is appropriated to bishop 'Thomas de Inglethorp, who died May 12, 1291; though it is a matter of doubt whether he might not be deposited in

the