he latter was nearly finished in 1340.
In the juxtaposition of these two magnificent specimens of the Early
English and Decorated periods of architecture there is an opportunity of
comparison which on such a scale occurs nowhere else. It is to be
remembered that in neither case is the treatment of the upper part quite
in accordance with the usual practice of the period. When the presbytery
was being built there were still standing east of the central tower the
four original bays of the Norman choir. These, it may be assumed, were
very similar in character to those in the nave. There would, beyond
question, have been in each bay large triforium arches, each with a
couple of subordinate arches; and a single window in the clerestory with
a blank arch on each side. Bishop Northwold's work was purposely made to
correspond with these bays as far as Early English work could do so; and
when after the fall of the tower it became necessary to rebuild the
choir, Bishop Hotham in like manner made his Decorated work correspond
with the Early English presbytery. The choir is, as would be expected,
richer in detail as well as more elaborate in design; and it would be
difficult to find in England anything to surpass the tracery of the
clerestory windows and triforium arches, the beautiful cusped inner
arches of the clerestory range, the open parapets at the base of the two
stages, or the long corbels, covered with foliage, that support the
vaulting shafts. In the choir the clerestory windows have four lights
each; in the presbytery are triplets. The old colouring has been renewed
throughout. On the north side of the choir the three bays are precisely
alike; but on the south there is a variation in the tracery of the
western triforium arch. There are also shields of arms (of the See of
Ely and of Bishop Hotham) in the spandrels of the triforium and arch
below; and the shaft between this arch and the next is enlarged at the
top into a base for a statue (probably of S. Etheldreda); while level
with the string above is a very fine large canopy (called by the
work-men "the table"), which is like nothing else in the cathedral. The
clerestory windows also on the south have different tracery.

[Illustration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING WEST.
_Photochrom Co. Ltd. Photo._]

The difference between the two styles of architecture is well marked in
the groining of the roof, the Decorated portion being much more
elaborate. Some of the bosses ar