its aisles
and the retro-choir, and extends under the central tower to the second
pillar beyond. The nave and transepts are thus on a lower level. Before
the altar are rails which date from the reign of Charles I., while the
Altar Books were presented to the cathedral by Charles II.

The great #Reredos#, which separates the presbytery from the feretory
and the eastern end of the church, is, to judge from its style, late
fifteenth-century work. It has been attributed to Cardinal Beaufort, and
to Bishop Fox and Prior Silkstede, but no inscription or armorial
details can be discovered to confirm either of these suppositions. It is
similar in character to the altar-screens of Christchurch Priory, Hants,
and S. Mary Overy (S. Saviour's, Southwark); but, less fortunate than
the former, it was despoiled of all the statues which once filled its
niches, while it has not "the exquisite grace of detail which marks the
choir of angels at Southwark." The reredos at S. Albans, in the same
style, though not so large, was erected between 1476 and 1484; and, as
at Winchester before 1899, shows a cross-shaped space where, according
to legend, a huge silver crucifix was placed. Now once more, as in the
sixteenth century, there is a figure on the great cross. It is curious
to note an attempt, during the rage for pseudo-classic architecture in
the last century, to beautify the reredos by placing sham funeral urns
in its niches. These were fortunately removed in 1820, and in recent
years they have been replaced by a series of statues intended to
reproduce as far as possible the original effect. In the _Builder_ for
October 10, 1892, a large reproduction was given of a very interesting
drawing by the late Mr J.W. Sedding, showing the whole screen completely
restored; but this scheme was unfortunately not used. A large
oil-painting, "The Raising of Lazarus," by Benjamin West, purchased in
1782 by Dean Ogle, till 1899 hung immediately over the altar. Before
1818 a huge wooden canopy in Jacobean style, freely enriched with gold,
covered all the central portion of the screen. This was due to Bishop
Curie.

The reredos is so large that it occupies the whole of the space between
the choir piers, and, being constructed of a very white stone, is the
prominent feature of the choir. The work is very elaborate, the whole
screen being arranged in three tiers with canopied niches containing
eighteen large statues, while smaller figures--kings, saints, an