tely ruined by two monstrous naval
monuments. The eastern aisle is cut off from the rest of the transept
and divided into three small chapels. The western is partially severed
from the main aisle by large cenotaphs.

We turn to the west and see the present choir, which stretches to the
organ screen. The stalls are of no artistic merit, and were designed in
part by Wyatt, early in the nineteenth century; later on they were added
to by Blore, who was also responsible, in 1848, for the wooden casing of
the ancient stone wall between choir and nave. Beneath the
black-and-white pavement, his own gift, lie the remains of Dr. Busby.

* * * * * *

[Illustration: View of the Choir and Nave, Looking West from the High
Altar]

* * * *

VIEW OF THE CHOIR AND NAVE, LOOKING WEST FROM THE HIGH ALTAR

From the high altar we look down to the west end, and see above the choir
screen the painted glass of the west window which was inserted in the
reign of George II. To our right is the tomb of Aymer de Valence, and
the smaller contemporary monument of the first bride ever married in the
Abbey, Aveline, Countess of Lancaster. In the foreground is the ancient
mosaic pavement, which was laid in the thirteenth century, when this part
of the church was built; and beyond the altar rails we see the
comparatively modern stalls of the choir and the still more recent organ
case. The pulpit marks the intersection of the sanctuary with the north
transept.

* * * * * *

Facing east we look directly towards the Holy of Holies, the Sanctuary,
where, raised high on a {57} mound of sacred earth, brought from
Palestine, is the shrine of Edward the Confessor, girdled by a half
circle of royal tombs. Between us and the saint's feretory is a
fifteenth-century screen, which is faced on this side by a modern
reredos, designed by Sir G. Scott. In front of this is the high altar.
Some way below the level of the floor, on either side of the altar, are
the bases of two pillars, which formed part of the original Norman
church, and have helped the experts to fix the exact proportions of the
Confessor's building.

Edward the Confessor was not canonised for nearly a hundred years after
his death, in spite of the repeated appeals made to Rome by the
Westminster abbots. In the meantime his coffin lay before this altar in
a plain stone tomb, which was adorned