be the oldest existing portion of the Cathedral. "At
any rate," says G. Phillips Bevan,(3) "this transept seems to have been
the happy hunting-ground of successive races of builders, who have left
the side-walls in admired confusion."

Though it underwent great alteration in the Perpendicular period much of
the Norman work remains. The east wall is in the best preservation, and is
certainly entirely Norman with the exception of the groining. It is
covered with five series of arcades, which may be divided into three
stages. In the middle stage is a notably good triforium passage of very
short Norman arches. All the other ranges of arcades, except those at the
level of the clerestory, are blocked. On this side the transept is lighted
from the clerestory by two Norman windows.

In both east and west walls there is a very fine Norman moulded double
arch.

In the west wall Perpendicular windows have cut into the Norman work, and
a large Perpendicular window nearly fills the south wall with panelling
round it of the same period.

*Monuments in the South Transept.*--There is an interesting altar-tomb of
Sir Alexander Denton, 1576, of Hillesden, Co. Bucks, Esq., and his lady
and a child in swaddling clothes, toward the south-east angle of the
transept. The effigies are in alabaster, and retain considerable traces of
colour. They are in full proportion, and the knight wears a double chain
and holds a cross in his hands. The Dentons were ancestors of the Coke
family, now Earls of Leicester. The swaddled body of the child lies to the
left of its mother, its head resting on a little double pillow by her
knee, and a part of the red cloth on which she lies wraps over the lower
part of the babe.

To the right of the knight, balancing the child in the composition, lie
his two gauntlets or mail gloves, which have been much scratched with
names.

The head of the knight rests upon his helmet.

Round the verge of the tomb is this inscription:

"Here lieth Alexander Denton, of Hillesden, in the County of
Buckingham, and Anne his wife, Dowghter and Heyr of Richard
Willyson of Suggerwesh in the Countie of Hereford; which Anne
deceased the 29th of October, A.D. 1566 the 18th yere of her Age,
the 23rd of his Age."

"But," says Browne Willis, "this was but a caenotaph, for Alexander Denton,
the husband, who lived some years after, and marry'd another lady, was
bury'd with her at Hillesden, Co. Bucks; where he