The chapel originally stood apart from the great church, but was
eventually joined up to the larger building by a continuation of the
chapel walls. The extension is at once detected by the late character
of the work. Note change of arcading from Norm. to E.E., and the E.E.
entrance to the church. Of the latter very little now remains. There
still stand the piers of the chancel arch, portions of the walls of the
choir and nave aisles, and a little chapel which opened out of the N.
transept. But these remains, slight though they are, are sufficient to
indicate the general design of the church and its huge dimensions.
Though there is an evident attempt to keep up the character of the
ornamentation displayed in St Mary's chapel, the workmanship is much
later; and a still later development is noticeable in the two
easternmost bays of the choir, thrown out by Abbot Monington (1371-74).
Note (1) lancets of nave, pointed externally, rounded internally, (2)
pointed lancets of choir, (3) square abaci to pilasters of lancets (cp.
Wells), (4) traces of Dec. work in vaulting ribs of nave, (5) absence
of bench-table in Monington's additions, (6) fragment of Perp.
panelling on E. side of chancel arch. The general plan of the church
followed the arrangements of the great Benedictine abbeys, which were
all designed with a view to a stately ritual and imposing processions.
There was a lofty nave of ten bays, with corresponding aisles, a choir
of three bays, also with processional aisles (Monington's extension was
evidently intended to form a further path behind the high altar), and
N. and S. transepts, each with a pair of E. chapels. A large central
tower surmounted the whole, which, like that of Wells, is said to have
been braced internally with inverted arches. The cloisters abutted on
to the S. aisle of the church (note the higher sills of the windows),
and beyond these again were the cloister garth, the refectory,
dormitory, and domestic offices. The only remains of this part of the
monastery is the _Abbot's Kitchen_, with a contiguous fragment of the
almonry, and a portion of the great gateway of the monastery, now
incorporated in the "Red Lion" inn. The flowering thorn tree--a
descendant of Joseph's budding staff--should be noticed near the
porter's lodge. The _Abbot's Kitchen_ may be inspected at an extra
charge of 6d. (entrance in Magdalene Street, just below Museum). It is
a handsome stone building, now standing by itself in the