certain subscribers,
assisted by a special contribution from Canon J.H. Sparke.

A tablet on the wall, near the eastern window of this aisle, bears the
following inscription:--

"1676,
_Roger Clopton,
Rector of Downham,
Gave two hundred pounds,
By which The greatest Part
of the Nave of This
Church Was
paved._"

The Nave and aisles do not now require a gift of this kind, having
been recently paved at considerable expense, but the floor of the
Octagon, South Transept, and Choir aisles will require a large sum to
complete them, and if some kind friends will follow the example of
Roger Clopton it will indeed be a timely benefaction, and now very
much to be desired as an important step towards the completion of the
work of restoration.

Before examining the Octagon we will make some observations on

+The Great Transept.+

This includes both arms, although for distinction it is frequently
spoken of as the north and south Transept. This is the oldest portion
of the Cathedral, having been begun by Abbot Simeon A.D. 1083, of
whose work, however, but little more than the ground story remains.
Before the fall of the Norman Tower in 1322, each arm was longer by
one bay, which is now included in the plan of the Octagon, in the same
manner as the Nave. Both arms have aisles, but those of the south, and
one in the north, are enclosed for various purposes. In each arm there
is a simple cylindrical shaft, of which no other specimen occurs in
any other part of the church. The capitals of the columns and the
arches above the lower tier are similar to those of the Nave. The roof
in both is of bare rafters with rich cornices, painted with flowers
and devices, and angels with wings expanded under the principals;
both arms have recently undergone a thorough repair, the rafters and
cornices have been re-painted and gilded in their original style,
which, with the stained glass lately inserted in the windows, produces
an amount of colour the effect of which is very striking.

We will first refer for details to the north arm; of which the western
aisle is open, and is lighted by three Norman windows, all of which
have been recently filled with stained glass:

The south window--executed by M. Lusson, of Paris; the
subjects taken from the Parables; as a memorial of the Rev.
A. Moore, of Walpole, who designed and executed three
windows in the Cathedral.

The middl