rticular one of the three large arches of the West Front, the beauty
of which is acknowledged to be without rival, having fallen down, it was
restored in all its original magnificence." In an account of the
cathedral published by the writer thirty years ago, he says of this
arch: "Its present state looks dangerous from below. The stones in the
arch have some sad gaps. It is tied up by iron bands, and further
protected within by a great number of wooden pegs, not of recent
construction. When last observed it leant forward 141/2 inches." In 1893
he wrote: "there is no doubt that the security of the whole front is a
most serious question that before long must demand energetic action."

[Illustration: Finial of the Central Gable of the West Front.]

A very great preponderance of local opinion was in favour of the action
of the Dean and Chapter. When it came to moving the stones, after all
the rubbish was removed, it was found that the mortar had crumbled into
mere dust, and could be swept away; and that the stones themselves could
be lifted from their positions, without the use of any tool. What has
actually been done is this: the north gable has been taken down with the
outer orders of the archivolt for a depth of some feet, and rebuilt; the
innermost order has not been moved. Relieving arches have been put in at
the back. The gable is now believed to be perfectly secure. The cross on
the summit was replaced in its position on July 2nd, 1897. The south
gable was afterwards taken down and rebuilt, a very few new stones being
used to bond the masonry where a fracture had been found on the left
side of the great arch below. This is what has been called "the
destruction" of the west front.

CHAPTER II.

THE CATHEDRAL--EXTERIOR.

Nearly every cathedral and large abbey church has some one conspicuous
feature by which it is remembered, and with which it is specially
associated in the minds of most persons. Nearly every one also claims
for itself to have the best example of some one architectural feature,
or the largest, or the oldest, or in some other way the most remarkable.
Occasionally the claim is indisputable, because the boasted object is
unique in the country; as is the case with the octagon at Ely, the three
spires at Lichfield, the situation and western Galilee of Durham, and
the almost perfect unity of design at Salisbury. Sometimes, if not
unique, there is no question as to the justice of the claim for
super