s the projecting base to the whole
wall, is continued from the side of the tower buttress eastward. Each
is returned round the four buttresses till it stops against the outer
wall of the south walk of the cloisters. The vertical buttresses here
were originally completed with a weathering at a point about half-way
up their present height; and upon this old weathering the upper and
later part of the buttress has been added. This was probably done
during the fourteenth century, about the time that the adjoining
parapet of the aisles, the parapet of the nave, and the re-working of
the upper part of the flying-buttresses was undertaken. This change in
the design involved the removal of the range of pointed gables, by
which the roof over each bay of the aisle was completed southward.
Traces of the earlier gable copings are still bedded in their original
places in the walling. Upon three of these buttresses are remains of
the old gargoyles by which the water from the roofs was carried off.
The use of these is now superseded by the cheap and mean-looking
rain-water heads and pipes.

Close by the parapet of the aisle the square angles of each buttress
are cut off so as to form a base for the octagonal pinnacle above.
These, when in their complete state, were undoubtedly very beautiful;
for besides what can be now seen, it is known that they were once
completed each with a spirelet. Now they have the substitutes
suggested by parsimony to cover their incompleteness. As they are, in
their ruined condition, it may be seen that they were not all finished
in identically the same way. The three sides on the north of the
octagon of each one are left plain and flat. The other five sides are
treated as narrow, recessed panels, formed by the six groups of small
shafts at either angle. Every group has its capital and moulded base.
The capitals in some cases are carved, in others moulded only. Above
each capital is a small carved boss. This, doubtless, was the stop to
some member on the angles of the spirelets. Springing from the
capitals are moulded and cusped arches, which form on either side the
heads of the panelled divisions. The horizontal part of the weathering
of the flying-buttresses is stopped behind the octagons of the
pinnacles.

The parapet has a plain weathered coping, close under which is a
string-course which helps to throw the water clear from the top of the
wall; and two coupes below this one is another moulded string. Ea