all turret was used for fire
signals.

There is an interesting record in connection with the tower which is
found in an account of the trial of the Governor of Carlisle in 1745. It
is as follows:--

"I desired that two men might be posted upon the high Tower of the
Cathedral with a very large spying glass I had brought with me, and to
send me a report of what they observed in the country. The Chancellor
proposed to the clergy to take this duty, which they readily did, and
were very exact and vigilant, and when the Rebells came before Carlisle
they took up arms as Volunteers most of whom served under me as
aides-de-camp."[6]

[6] "Guide to the Cathedral of Carlisle," by R.H. and K.H.

[Illustration: THE FRATRY. _A. Pumphrey, Photo._]

THE MONASTIC BUILDINGS

The Monastic Buildings were erected on the land south of the cathedral.
The cloisters, enclosing a large open court, stood west of the south
transept, communicating with the two doors--one in the north-east angle,
the other in the north-west.

The dormitory, built upon an arcade, was joined to the south transept,
and had a door opening into it above the present modern doorway.

West of the dormitory, and parallel with the nave, was the fratry;
adjoining the east end of which, and stretching to the south-east, were
the domestic offices.

West of the fratry was the prior's lodging (now the deanery).

The chapter-house, which was built somewhere in the angle formed by the
choir and the dormitory, has disappeared entirely. It was octagonal in
shape, about 28 feet across, and had a conical roof.

The great fire in 1292 caused great destruction to the priory buildings.
They were put up again about 1350, and Prior Gondibur almost entirely
rebuilt them towards the end of the fifteenth century.

There is no reason for doubting that the various buildings were handed
over in good order at the dissolution of the priory. The destruction
which has left standing only the fratry, the prior's lodging, and the
gate tower (1528), was the act of the Parliamentary troops and their
Scottish allies in 1645, when, in addition to pulling down part of the
nave, they destroyed most of the monastic buildings, in order to use the
materials for the erection of guard-houses, and to strengthen the
fortifications.

Dr. Todd says: "The Abbey Clois^{rs}, part of ye Deanery, and
Chapter-House.... they pulled down, and employed ye stone to build a
maine guard, and a guard-house at e