aeological History," Chichester, p. 6, note _c_.
But Praecentor Ede, in a paper written about 1684 A.D. and quoted by
Praecentor Walcott, [20] gives
"an account of Dr. Christopher Wren's opinion concerning the
rebuilding of one of the great towers at the west end of the
Cathedral Church of Chichester, one third part of which,
from top to bottom, fell down above fifty years since, which
he gave after he had for about two hours viewed it both
without and within, and above and below, and had also
observed the great want of repairs, especially in the inside
of the other great west tower, and having well surveyed the
whole of the west end of the said Church, which was in
substance as followeth; that there could be no secure
building to the remaining part of the tower now standing;
that, if there could and it were so built, there would be
little uniformity between that and the other, they never
having been alike nor were they both built together or with
the Church, and when they were standing the west end could
never look very handsome. And therefore considering the vast
charge of rebuilding the fallen tower and repairing the
other, he thought the best way was to pull down both
together, with the west arch of the nave of the church
between them; and to lengthen the two northern isles to
answer exactly to the two southern; and then to close all
with a well designed and fair built west end and porch;
which would make the west end of the church look much
handsome than ever it did, and would be done with half the
charge." [21]
[20] "Early Statutes," p. 21.
[21] Walcott, "Early Statutes" p. 21
Such was Dr. Wren's opinion of the west front. It is fortunate that
his advice was not followed, for have we not the same west front still
in existence? However, Wren spoke of "the remaining part of the tower
now standing," and King's print, publishing 1656, shows the portion to
which he referred. Fuller [22] remarked in 1662 that the church "now is
torn, having lately a great part thereof fallen to the ground." He no
doubt refers to the same ruin, for it is not to be conjectured that
any other part fell then.
[22] "Worthies," II, 385
Sir Christopher Wren says the towers never were alike in design, nor
were they "both built together."
The edition of Dugdale's "Monasticon," published in 1673, g
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