n: THE NORTH TRANSEPT.]

The east wall is much more richly treated, and harmonizes in design with
the choir. It might perhaps be more proper to describe the aisles of
these transepts as a series of eastern chapels. Their floor is raised
two steps above the body of the transept, from which they were evidently
once railed off, and in either transept the two outer bays are walled
off from that nearest to the tower. At any rate the arches here have the
appearance of independent units rather than of a continuous arcade.
Separated by roof-shafts of unusual bulk, their responds consist each of
three engaged shafts with a fourth to carry the aisle-vault; and the
bases, rectangular but with the upper mouldings following the pillar,
are united with those of the roof-shafts, while the capitals as usual
are square-topped. The actual arches are of two orders, each of which
has the edge-roll, while under the soffit, which is flat, is another
roll between two mouldings that are hook-shaped in section. The arch
nearest to the tower has given way slightly and has been blocked up,
apparently not very long after it was built, for in the blocking wall is
an acutely-pointed and thrice-recessed doorway of decidedly early
character, and the material throughout is gritstone. The wooden doors
are probably Perpendicular work.

Adjoining this doorway is a Perpendicular stone pulpit, which has a base
but no stem, and is ascended by means of three steps only. It has five
sides, and is covered with rich panelling, but the top has apparently
been taken off. This may not indeed be its original position,[85] yet it
was a mediaeval custom to deliver the sermon just as the procession was
about to enter the choir, and this pulpit is most conveniently placed
for such a purpose. If this is not its original position, it may perhaps
be identified with a nave pulpit mentioned in the Chapter Acts.

On this east side the triforium shows in each bay a semicircular arch
comprising two pierced lancets and flanked by two blind lancets, with a
quatrefoil pierced through the tympanum under the comprising arch, an
arrangement that is the germ of tracery. Here there is no passage in the
thickness of the wall, as there was an open gallery over the aisle until
the external roof was lowered and the back of the arches blocked.

In the clearstorey the shafts of the round arch in each bay are doubled,
each couple sharing a common plinth and capital, from which latter
sprin