her, the space they cover at Wells (like Salisbury, not a monastic
establishment) is greater, and in other details these may not be the
finest. But, as a whole, their beautiful proportion and the general
symmetry of their design make them worthy adjuncts to a building which
is pre-eminent for these special qualities.

Situated, according to the usual custom, on the south-west side of the
cathedral, with their western wall in a line with its west front, they
are exceedingly picturesque. Even so far back as the time of Leland,
we find him declaring that "the cloister on the south side of the
church is one of the largest and most magnificent in Britain." Yet, as
a recent critic has observed, from a purely technical point of view,
there is "too great a mass of blank wall above the arcade." The green
sward of the large garth, 140 feet square, with its covered walks, 181
feet long, on each side, and the fine group of cedars in the centre,
showing against the cool grey of the stonework realize the ideal of
that cloistered solitude so dear to the poets; it should not be
forgotten, however, that the arrangements of this cathedral are not
monastic, for it was never aught but a collegiate building. The style
is late thirteenth century with windows of exceedingly graceful
design; double arches with quatrefoils above, united in pairs with a
large six-foiled circle in the main head. The upper portions of the
tracery had, not so long ago, traces of coloured glass here and there,
but whether this feature was part of the original scheme is very
doubtful. The shafts, originally of Purbeck marble (replaced in 1854
by stone) both between and in the centres of the windows have simply
moulded capitals; while those of the clustered columns at the main
angles are carved. Modern opinion is inclined to date the beginning of
the work between 1260 to 1284; but so late as 1338, as a dated charter
in Bishop Wyville's time which refers to the enlargement of the
cloisters shows, they were not quite completed; hence it is inferred
that a part, possibly only one side, was built at first. The north
arcade is entirely independent of the south wall of the nave, the long
space between being known as the Plumbery. The garth is used as a
burial ground, and in the cloisters are many monuments, but none of
more than local interest, except possibly a tablet to the memory of
Francis Price (died Mar. 20th, 1753, aged 50), the cathedral
architect, whose excellent m