il 27, 1649.

[34] "Gleanings," p. 283.

[35] "Old St. Paul's," chap. v. I have found no corroboration for this
interesting incident related by Ainsworth in detail.

[36] Yet the vacant space was in many places very narrow, and the
bishop's palace was actually connected with the south-east end of the
cathedral.

[37] My quotations from Taswell and Evelyn are taken from Milman,
chap. xv. I cannot explain Taswell's mention of lightning. Some assert
that St. Paul's caught fire on the Monday.

CHAPTER III.

OLD ST. PAUL'S--EXTERIOR.

The church was cruciform, with aisles to every arm; and we will give
the external dimensions before the fire of 1561, which include the
lofty spire and exclude the portico. The figures must in all cases be
considered approximate.

The extreme length east and west is difficult to ascertain:
authorities do not agree; neither do their different estimates with
their scales. Mr. William Longman, upon the authority of Mr. E.B.
Ferrey, estimates it at 596 feet, and his accompanying scale even
more. If the accuracy of the comparative ground-plan in "St. Paul's
and Old City Life" can be depended upon, we must put it at a little
over 580 feet; but Mr. F.C. Penrose's invaluable excavations do not
appear to have fixed the precise termination of the west front. Mr.
Longman also gives a comparative ground-plan of the two cathedrals
from a drawing of Wren's (see below, p. 64); and this, though on a
small scale, is perhaps our safest guide, and we shall probably not be
far wrong if we say 580 feet or a little over, and divide our length
as follows: nave, 252 feet; across transept, 104 feet; choir, 224
feet. To this must be added the portico of 40 feet, making a total
length of at least 620 feet. The old west end was some 70 feet nearer
Ludgate Hill, and with the portico 110 feet nearer. Length of
transepts, 293 feet, the two arms being equal; breadth of both nave
and transepts, 104 feet, Dugdale's scale making them exactly 100 feet:
breadth of choir a trifle less. Height of nave from ground to apex of
roof, about 130 feet, and of choir, 143 feet. Height of central tower
by Wren's estimate, the lowest, 260 feet, and of spire about 200
feet; altogether according to Wren, 460 feet, and according to others
still higher. Height of western towers with the spires I take the
liberty of adding, unknown. I have calculated the area at about 81,000
to 82,000 square feet; and in this have excluded St. Gr