cut out of the stone rather than the stone to have been added as a frame
for the glass. This window is of a very elaborate design, and consists
of three circles, the outer being the circumference of the window; the
middle about equi-distant from the circumference and the centre, and
connected with the circumference by pillars, twenty-four in all, and
cusped arches; and the inner connected with the centre in the same way
and ornamented with cusps. The spaces between the arches of the middle
circle are pierced with trefoil holes, those between the outer arches
are pierced and filled with glass. The outer circle is ornamented with
three rows of dog-tooth moulding. Above this window, in the crown of the
gable, is a small three-cornered window ornamented also with dog-tooth
moulding. On either side of the rose window are small lancet windows
with smaller blind arches on each side of them. Both windows and arches
are surrounded also with dog-tooth moulding. An arcading with shafts and
cusped arches runs along the base of the front, not quite reaching the
exterior buttresses. In the centre is the porch by which entrance to the
minster is generally obtained. It is reached by an ascent of two flights
of steps. The porch is rather small, and not particularly remarkable
architecturally. It consists of a single arch supported by an outer and
inner group of clustered shafts. On each side of it is a small blind
arch. All three of these arches are decorated with dog-tooth moulding.
The interior of the porch is vaulted and decorated with blind arches.
Above this porch are three blind arches surrounded with heavy gables,
the middle and largest of which runs up to the lancet windows above it.
It is difficult to believe that these arches and gables are not an
addition later in date than the transept itself; they are so ugly and so
meaningless, but they appear in the old prints of the minster, and the
ancient clock, with two wooden statues in armour of the date of Henry
VII., seems to have stood there from time immemorial. This clock was
removed, with the statues, to make room for another at the beginning of
this century, and it appears that the arches and gables were also
altered, which may perhaps account for their present ugly appearance.
The clock is now in the north transept. It should be stated that the
whole of this front has been rather badly restored, and nearly all of
its beauty of detail is gone. The aisle fronts have upper storeys