idth of the nave, and those on either side
the width of the aisles. In the centre comes the main doorway, flanked
on either side with niches, and over these, filling the entire breadth,
the great nine-light west window, with the Norman turrets carried up to
the base of the gable. The compartments on either side are finished off
by horizontal mouldings taken across somewhat below the level of the
springing of the archivolt of the main window, and have flanking turrets
covered with plain pinnacles. The large west window is disproportionate,
and even the assurance cheerfully given by most authorities, that it
resembles the window of Westminster Hall, fails to prove that it is of
suitable size here. It may be as well to note in order the various
changes which have affected the west front. Mr B.W. Spaull, in Dean
Goulburn's work on the Cathedral, made reference to the discovery of an
alteration to the main entrance which must have been prior to that now
existing. It consisted of a small _parvise_ or room added above at some
time subsequent to the original foundation. As the details are not now
apparent, it is best to refer readers to the work named for fuller
information.

The addition, however, of later Perpendicular triforium windows to the
nave superimposed over the original Norman lights, which were blocked
up, may have affected the west front. This can best be seen by viewing,
for instance, the south side of the nave. The Norman roofs sloped down
to the original triforium windows, but after the later addition were
made almost flat, and must have necessitated some mask wall in the west
front.

[Illustration: West Front of the Cathedral.]

In Britton's "History of Norwich" is a drawing which is reproduced at p.
15. It will be seen that the turrets at each side of the west window are
shown finished with stone cupolas, the tops of which were level with the
apex of the gable. The two outside flanking turrets are shown finished
by circular drums above the parapet, and covered with leaden cupolas;
these, with the Perpendicular battlements, were probably added as the
mask before referred to, and necessitated by the imposition of an
additional storey at the triforium level. Certainly the west front, as
shown then, was better far than now. However, in 1875, "_restoration_"
set in, and these cupolas were removed, and stone "pepper-box" pinnacles
imposed on the turrets in their stead. The gable was restored, and the
character of