against the red glow of sunset an unrivalled effect is
produced. This tower is two hundred and twenty-five feet high, and forms
an admirable centre to the masses of buildings clustered around it. The
monastery, founded by Osric in the seventh century, stood on this site,
but after the Danes burned it a convent was built, which passed into the
hands of the Benedictines in 1022. One of these monks was the "Robert of
Gloucester" who in 1272 wrote in rhyme a chronicle of English history
from the siege of Troy to the death of Henry II. Their church was
repeatedly burned and rebuilt, but it was not until the shrine of Edward
II. was placed in it that the religious establishment throve. The rich
harvest brought by the pilgrims to this shrine led to the reconstruction
of the older church, by encasing the shell with Perpendicular work in
the lower part and completely rebuilding the upper portion. This was in
the fourteenth century, and by the close of the next century the
cathedral appeared as it is now seen. Entering the fine southern porch,
we are ushered into the splendid Norman nave bordered by exceptionally
high piers, rising thirty feet, and surmounted by a low triforium and
clerestory. The design is rather dwarfed by thus impoverishing the upper
stories. The choir has an enormous east window, made wider than the
choir itself by an ingenious arrangement of the walls; and this retains
most of the old stained glass. The choir has recently been restored, and
in the old woodwork the seat of the mayor is retained opposite the
throne of the bishop. On the floor an oblong setting of tiles marks the
grave of William the Conqueror's son Robert, who died at Cardiff, and
whose monument stands in an adjoining chapel. The Lady Chapel is east of
the choir, and has a "whispering gallery" over its entrance. Beneath the
choir is the crypt, antedating the Norman Conquest, and one of the
remains of the original church of the Benedictines. On the south side of
the choir is the monument to Edward II., standing in an archway. The
effigy is of alabaster, and is surmounted by a beautiful sculptured
canopy. The cloisters north of the nave are most attractive, the roof
being vaulted in fan-patterns of great richness. There can still be seen
along the north walk of these cloisters the lavatories for the monks,
with the troughs into which the water flowed and the recesses in the
wall above to contain the towels. Beyond the cloisters are the other
rema