centuries may also be formed in it, for a very considerable amount
of their work remains in evidence. Many features of the building are
indeed remarkable in other respects, but we are probably correct in
saying that, as a whole, it is, to students of architecture, chiefly
historically interesting.

#The Ground Plan# is of the double cross form, frequent in buildings of
this class. The nave and choir both have aisles, but those of the choir
are walled off from it. The main transept is aisleless, but the north
and south choir transepts have each an aisle, or small chapel, on the
eastern side. Beneath the whole eastern part of the church extends the
magnificent crypt. The total length of the building is 305 1/2 feet, of
which 147 1/2 feet belong to the eastern arm. The main transept is 120
feet long, the choir transept 88 feet.

[Illustration: PLAN OF ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL]

#The Nave.#--After passing beneath the great west doorway, through its new
richly-hinged doors, we descend by a flight of four steps into the
nave. On the inner side of the doorway arch are found a fine cable
moulding, occurring also on its outside, and the billet moulding, of
which the omission is so noticeable there. In the blind arcades that
decorate the nave end inside, we see, besides plain mouldings, specimens
of both the zigzag and the billet. The two upper arcades are so abruptly
cut by the great Perpendicular window as to make most conspicuous the
fact that this is a later insertion.

Of the aisle ends the northern contains the early fourteenth century
doorway, inserted for the use of the parishioners of St. Nicholas'
altar, while the lower part of the southern has a blind arcade of three
arches like those at the same level on either side of the great west
door. Each aisle end has also a round-headed Norman window, with a plain
circular moulding, and of the two small lights above, the northern
belongs to the recent restoration. In the south-west corner of the nave
is a beautiful little Norman doorway, which, opening into the tower
flanking the front on that side, has a fine embattled moulding round its
arch. The shafts of this small door, of the great west door, and of the
aisle end windows, all have scalloped caps, and other caps of this form
are seen in the arcades.

We will now, leaving the inside of the front, direct our attention to
the nave arcades. Rochester and Peterborough possess probably the best
examples of the Norman nave in t