he
choir there is a small one. The buttresses at the corner of the choir
project but slightly. The central tower has none, but the west tower has
an octagonal buttress at each corner. The central tower attracts notice
first. From the outside at the angles a small portion of the plain wall
of the triforium stage may be seen, against which the roofs of the choir
and transepts abut; the nave roof, however, hides all of this stage at
the western face: above this face is a band of red-brown sandstone, and
above this the clerestory stage. In each face are two round-headed
windows with a pointed blank arch between them. There are six slender
shafts to support the outer order of moulding over the two windows and
the blank arch, and two of a similar character to support the inner ring
of moulding over each window. At each corner of the tower up to the top
of this stage runs a slender banded shaft. This stage is finished by a
string course, above which the tower walls recede slightly, the walls of
the upper or belfry storey being a little thinner than those below. This
stage, perfectly plain within, is the most richly-ornamented part of the
tower outside: it is the latest Norman work to be found in the minster,
and probably may be dated late in the twelfth century. An arcading of
intersecting round-headed arches runs all round this storey. Seven
pointed arches are thus formed in each face; between these arches stand
slender pillars with well carved capitals which show a great variety of
design. Five of the seven arches on each face were originally open, save
possibly for louvre-boards placed to keep out the rain; now all but the
central one on each face are walled up, and the centre one is glazed.
This filling up was not all done at the same time, as the varying
character of the stone shows. The work was no doubt begun in order to
strengthen the walls when the spire was added, and was continued from
time to time as the necessity for further strengthening arose. Above
the stage was a bold corbel table, and this is the upper limit of the
Norman work. There can be little doubt that the Norman builder, here as
elsewhere, finished his tower with a low pyramidal roof with overhanging
eaves to shoot off the rain. This covering may have been of lead, but
possibly of stone tiles or wooden shingles. About a century later this
Norman roof was removed to make place for a loftier roof or spire. Of
its character and material and height we know n