Sir Christopher Wren was of opinion, that this Norman building had been erected upon the remaining foundations of the more ancient Saxon church, for these he feund to be composed of Kentish rubble-stone, cemented with mortar of extreme hardness, and both much superior to the materials used in the superstructure.
At the intersection of the nave with the transept, four pillars supported the tower; and, from this part, a broad flirht of steps led to the choir, which was enclosed by a magnificent screen, elaborately adorned with niches and The choir, which was a grand specimen of the of Henry VIll.'s time, was completely in the pointed style, with a vault of a more complicated structure than that of the nave, each severy being composed of five ribs. The Lady Chapel, at the end of the choir, was a con tinuation of the building in the same form and style, and terminated, at the eastern extremity, by a rose window of extraordinary size and magnificence. A spacious. lofty crypt, extending beneath the eastern part of the cathedral, was appropriated to religious rites, under the designation of the church of St. Faith, and the chapel of Jesus. Three ranges of massy piers, enveloped by slender cylindrical shafts, divided the area into four equal aisles, and supported a high pitched vault of the simplest groined construction. The exterior of the building presented a curious medley of the styles of different ages. At the western front, Inigo Jones had erected a portico of the Corinthian order, thus display ing a signal example of that bigotry in taste. which, only admitting of one mode of beauty. is insensible to the superior claims of order and congruity. This portico was, however, singly considered, a grand and be:111011ml composition, and not inferior to anything of the kind produced in modern times. Fourteen columns. each rising to the lefty. height of 46 feet, were so disposed, that eight, with two pilasters placed in front and three in each flank. fin-mei' a square peristyle, and supported an entablature and balustrade, crowned with statues of the kings, the predecessors of Charles who claimed the hollonr of this fabric. I lad the whole front been accommodated to Roman architecture, it might have deserved praise as a detached composition ; bet, though cased with rustic work, and decorated with regular cornices, the pedi ment retained the original Gothic diameter in its equilateral proportions, and it was flanked by barbarous obelisks and ill designed turrets. A representation of this curious elevation
is given in the works of Inigo Jones, edited by Kent. The great restorer of 1:010:111 architecture in this country, was, doubt less, pleased with hat log an opportunity of triumphing over the Gothic style of building, in one of its strong holds; and it must be allowed, that he only f011owed the example of the architects of the middle ages themselves, who have 7enerAlly shown as little moderation and respect for the works of their predecessors; since we everywhere find the sty les of different eras engrafted upon each other, in the most crude and undisguised contrast.
It appears that the whole body of the church had been eased and reformed in the same manner, which had oldi t crated every detail of antiquity, leaving only the genera] tin•ins and proportions. The buttresses were converted into regular piers, and a complete cornice crowned the whole. SI Pine of the windows were without ornament, Nchile others were decorated in a heavy Italian manner. with architrave dressings, brackets. and cherubic heads. The transepts pre sented fronts of the same incongruous style as the western elevation, and without any of its beauties. At the centre of the cross, the great tower rose aloft in pre-eminent grandeur: this was in the simple style of the early Pointed architecture, In each side three remarkably pointed windows, and the . same number above, but of a shorter proportion, gave an original character to the tower. with an air of great lightness and beauty. This was the foundation of an immense spire, of which, however, there are no accurate representations ; for though Dugdale gives a view of the church in its entire state, yet this could not have been taken by him from per sonal inspection, neither does he mention any authority; and We may observe, that the style of the spire there exhibited is evidently not authentic. At each amide enormous arched ' buttresses, the irregular additions of various repairs, had been erected to secure the declining tower. The rest of the building. eastward of the transept, remained in its original form. a fabric of pointed arches and flying buttresses. In the east front, the most remarkable object was the rose window, which constituted the principal ornament of the Lady Chapel.