pedestal now occupies is not an unfitting one,
as these sides are hidden (see illustration, p. 65). The letters R.W.
may be seen on it. These are the initials of Ralph Whitechurch, sacrist,
at whose cost the pedestal was built in the second half of the
fourteenth century. Opposite this we see the back of the watching loft
(see illustration, p. 66) erected for the monk who kept watch and ward
over the martyr's shrine; further to the west is a doorway into the
Saint's Chapel, and still further west the back of Ramryge's chantry.
Beyond this is the north entrance into the presbytery, over which is a
painting of the Lord's Supper, generally attributed to Sir James
Thornhill and given to the church about two centuries ago; at one time
it hung over the high altar. There is also a painting of Offa, probably
fifteenth-century work, to be seen in this aisle. The two doors removed
by Lord Grimthorpe from the central doorway of the west front have been
set up against the west end of the walls of this aisle (see
illustration).

[Illustration: ONE OF THE OLD WESTERN DOORS.]

#The Lady Chapel.#--This chapel in its original condition must have been
exceedingly beautiful; and although we have had occasion to find much
fault with the work of restoration or rather destruction and needless
alteration, in other parts of the church, yet here little but praise can
be bestowed. Some may regret that the old wooden vaulting was not
retained and repaired, but the new stone vaulting is beautiful in itself
and more durable. A better material than cast iron might, however, have
been found for the altar rails. The new carving is excellent in quality
and right in principle. It has been done, not as most modern work is, by
imitating the carved work of some particular period of architecture as
set out for the carver in the architect's drawings, but by returning to
the old system of going to nature and carving from life models, so to
say. It has been done in the same spirit as actuated the early work of
the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. It is said that the carvers had sprays
of leaves and clusters of fruit and flowers before them as they carved,
and imitated them as closely as the material on which they worked
allowed them to do. Work done in this manner, provided the carver has
skill and taste, is sure to show character and life, and to differ
entirely from the mechanical conventionalisms we generally see in modern
stone-carving.

[Illustration: LADY