Bells Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Carlisle | Page 7

series of fine gabled buttresses gives relief to the exterior of the choir
on each side.
The windows of the #Clerestory# have very rich mouldings, and also
afford fine examples of flowing tracery. Each bay has an arch with
three divisions, the central one higher and wider than the others. On
this side only--the north--the base is ornamented with trefoils.
There is a cornice above the windows extending from the tower to the
east end. It is richly decorated with heads and the ball-flower ornament
which is characteristic of fourteenth-century work. It is broken here
and there by gargoyles projecting almost three feet from the wall. The
parapet makes but a poor show in comparison with the rich windows
and cornice.
As the choir never had a groined ceiling there was no necessity for
flying buttresses, and their absence gives the clerestory a very
monotonous flat effect. This is further intensified by the window tracery
being level with the wall, the architraves having no depth of moulding
round them.

Some years ago the aisles and clerestory were skilfully refaced, and
consequently the exteriors have a very modern appearance.
East of the retro-choir is the exterior of a staircase leading from the
north choir aisle to the clerestory parapet. It terminates in a
highly-finished octagonal turret whose parapet is enriched with a
running trefoil ornament resembling that on the base of the clerestory
windows. The north-eastern and the small east buttresses terminate just
beneath, in gables richly ornamented with minute crockets. The
panelling of the former is rather like the decoration of the central
portion of the east end.
#East End.#--An irregularity in designing the east end has been
covered by placing the great buttresses so as to make the pediment
appear irregular, and the cross at the apex seems, consequently, not to
be in the centre of the choir; while, in fact, it is the great east window
(with the gable window over it) that is out of position.
The sill of the east window is unusually near the ground, and it is
flanked by substantial buttresses finely pinnacled. Each buttress
contains two niches with beautifully carved canopies: the base of the
lower ones being a trifle higher than the springing of the arch. They
display full-length statues of St. Peter, St. Paul, St. James, and St. John.
A staircase crossing over the east window in the thickness of the wall
receives light from the triangular window enclosing three trefoils
which appears in the gable. Immediately beneath this Trinity
window--as it is called--is a richly-canopied niche adorned with a
statue of the Virgin Mary bearing in her arms the Holy Child.
The summit of the gable is crowned by a large richly-floriated cross;
and on each side are four smaller ones, with crockets of foliage
between them.
[Illustration: THE EAST END. Photochrom Co. Ltd., Photo.]
In spite of the fact that the east end has been almost entirely rebuilt, it
is a remarkably good example of Late Decorated work, and it would be

difficult to find its equal in England.
The wall of the north aisle is higher than the south aisle, because of a
passage between the staircases. The buttresses do not rise above the
parapet, and are finished off with richly-panelled gables, ornamented
with crockets and finials.
The end of the south aisle is decorated with corbels and parapet, like
the choir, and with pinnacled buttresses.
On the south side of the #Choir# the first three bays from the east end
are practically the same as those on the north side.
The remaining windows, including those of St. Catherine's Chapel on
the east of the south transept, are Early English, but of later date and
not so pleasing as the others. Instead of two lights they are furnished
with three; some of these have small circular openings in the spandrels
over the mullions filled with stained glass.
The fifth compartment (against which a vestry was formerly built)
shows traces of a door, and over that a passage, probably connected
originally with some of the conventual buildings.
The grotesque gargoyles, "these wild faces, these images of beasts and
men carved upon spouts and gutters," are very vigorously executed.
The windows on the south side of the clerestory are without the trefoil
which ornaments the base of those on the north side.
The blank window next to the tower is also wanting; in other respects
the clerestory presents the same features as on the north.
#South Transept.#--The chapter-house and cloisters formerly adjoined
the south transept, and there was probably an entrance from the
chapter-house leading down a flight of stairs into the transept. Billings
says: "The modern casing at the base of the end of the transept (about
12 ft. high) shews the height of the #Cloisters#: and the doorway above,
the