wall that closed the end of the south aisle was
removed and excavations were made to find the level of the aisle floor,
many more fragments, numbering in all about two thousand, were found.
These were carefully put together by Mr. Chapple, clerk of the works,
some plain stone being used to take the part of missing portions, with
the result that we see to-day, from which we can form some idea of the
appearance of the shrine in the days of its glory, even to the colour
decoration, for some of the fragments bear the original paint and gold.

[Illustration: WATCHING LOFT.]

Such a precious thing as this jewelled shrine and the still more
precious bones within it could not be left for a moment unguarded and
unwatched, for stealing relics, when a favourable opportunity arose, was
a temptation too great to be resisted by any monks, however holy. So on
the south side of the shrine was erected a watching loft; the one that
remains was constructed probably during the reign of Richard II., as his
badge appears on it, but, no doubt, from the first there was some such
place provided for the purpose of keeping guard. A similar loft may be
seen in the cathedral church of St. Frideswide at Oxford, and a watching
loft of a different construction in the south triforium at Malmesbury.
The chamber had two stories; the lower contained cupboards, in which
vestments and relics were kept, these are now filled with various
antiquarian curiosities, Roman pottery from Verulamium, architectural
fragments, etc. An oaken staircase leads up into the chamber where the
"custos feretri" sat watching the shrine day and night, guard of course
being changed at intervals. It must have been trying work watching there
during the night-time in frosty weather, but monks were accustomed to
bear cold. The watching chamber (see illustrations, pp. 66, 72) was
built of oak and was richly carved. On the south side of the cornice are
angels, the hart--badge of Richard II., the martyrdom of St. Alban, Time
the reaper, and the seasons; on the north the months of the year are
represented.

The west side of this chapel is closed by the back of Wallingford's
screen, on which may be seen five statues representing St. Peter, St.
John, St. Mary, St. Stephen, and St. Michael. The eastern side is closed
by a low wall, erected by Lord Grimthorpe in place of the wall by which
these arches were completely blocked up after the dissolution. It was
here that some of the fragments o