which there are some others about the church, called Monks' Cowls. When this arch was opened, some years ago, on lifting the lid of the coffin, the body of the knight was found wrapped in a bag of horse-hair, inclosed in leather; the interstices in the coffin being filled up with earth.*

The present bishop's palace was the abbot's lodgings, repaired by Bishop Smallridge, and almost rebuilt by Bishop Butler, in the year 1744, at which time the following singular discovery was made:-A parcel of plate, supposed to have been hidden in the time of the civil wars, fell through the floor in the corner of one of the rooms. This accident occasioned the floor to be taken up, when a dungeon was discovered, in which were found many human bones, and iron instruments of torture. At the same time was laid open a private passage to this dungeon, which was part of the original edifice: it was a narrow arched way, sufficient only to admit a single person at a time, and was made within the wall. One end opened to the dungeon, and the other to the house; which it may be supposed had formerly been used as a court of judgment. Both the entrances to this passage were walled up, and so concealed as to give the whole the appearance of solid masonry. The deanry was nearly wholly rebuilt by Dr. Warburton, the postern being the dean's coach-house. This ancient monastery was changed into a cathedral, and dedicated to the "holy and undivided trinity." The foundation consisted of a bishop, dean, six prebendaries, one archdeacon, six minor canons, a deacon and sub-deacon, six lay clerks, six choristers, two grammar schoolmasters, and four alms-men, who were endowed with the site, church, and most of the lands of the monastery.f The diocese was taken out of Salisbury, part of Gloucestershire, from that of Worcester, and three churches from that of Wells. It extends over 221 churches and chapels in the county of Dorset, two parishes in the archdeaconry of Bath (which contains fifteen parishes in the liberties of Bristol) and VOL. XIII.

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Gough, Add. Camden, I. 125.

+ Bishop Tanner's Notitia Monastica, p. 480.

seventeen

seventeen other churches and chapels in the county of Gloucester, subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop and Chancellor of Bristol, but exempted from that of the archdeaconry. The see is charged in the king's books 2941. 11s. On the twentythird of August, 1808, the king ordered a congé d'elire to pass the great seal, empowering the dean and chapter of this cathedral to elect a new bishop, the same being void by the translation of Dr. John Luxmore to the see of Hereford. Dr. William Lort Mansell was accordingly elected bishop of this see.*

We come now to attempt some account and description of what is universally esteemed the finest parochial church in the kingdom, St. Mary, Redcliff. This church, it has been observed, "is justly the pride, because it is the chief architectural beauty, of Bristol." It stands without the city walls: the ascent to it is by a noble flight of steps, and the whole building exhibits one of the most perfect specimens of ornamented Gothic architecture this country can boast.

> This church was built of stone, dug out of Dundry Hill quarries. It was begun in the year 1294, by Simon de Burton, mayor of Bristol, and was not completed till 1376. The steeple was partly thrown down by lightning, at St. Paul'stide, in 1445; at which time the roof, part of the nave, and particularly the southern aisle, were much damaged. This last part was rebuilt by the grandson of William Canynge, or Canning. The spire was not rebuilt, but covered in. It is intended, however, to complete this spire, and to construct a magnificent cenotaph to the memory of the unfortunate Chatterton. The church is built in the form of a cross, having the nave raised above the aisles, in the manner of a cathedral.

* Ecclesiastical and University Annual Register, Vol. I. p. 271.

The

It is with pleasure we learn, that our predecessor in this work, John Britton, Esq. F. S. A. is collecting materials for "An Historical and Architectural Essay relating to this Church; to be illustrated with a Ground Plan, Views of the Interior and Exterior, and Details; embracing also some Account of the Monuments, and of the Eminent Persons interred within its Walls, or intimately connected with the Building."

The roof, which is nearly sixty feet high, is arched with stone, and abounds with numerous beautifully carved devices and ornaments. The whole exterior measurement, with the chapel of Our Lady, is two hundred and thirty feet in length; and the cross aisle one hundred and seventeen feet. The breadth of the nave and side aisles is fifty-nine feet, and of the cross nave and aisles forty-four feet. The height of the side aisles, from east to west, is twenty-five feet, being the height of the two cross aisles, from north to south. The height of the nave, from the western door to the high altar, is fifty-four feet, being the same as the height of the nave of the cross. Our Lady's Chapel is thirty feet long, which being divided from the church, is used as a grammar-school. The length of the present church, from the western end to the high altar, is one hundred and seventyeight feet. The western door, which is eight feet broad and twelve high, is the principal entrance: there are also two porches on the northern and southern sides of the church. The internal appearance of the northern porch is singularly beautiful. It consists of two divisions: the lower of a highly decorated Norman style, in a very perfect state of preservation: the upper story represents tabernacles, statues, &c. with various coats of arms; among which are the crown and rose: the whole affording, according to Mr. Dallaway, † a fine specimen of that species of minute decoration usually termed Saracenic.

On entering this beautiful church, the lightness and exquisite symmetry of the whole fill the mind with the most pleasing admiration. The best views of the inside of the church are, perhaps, at the western door, under the middle of the cross, and at the high altar. The entrance to the chancel is by gilded iron gates, richly ornamented; there are also iron gates at the western entrance of each aisle. The altar is exceedingly rich and superb;

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Plan, section, and views, with a minute description of this beautiful door-way, are given in Mr. Britton's Architectural Antiquities, just published.

+ Observations on English Architecture, p. 10.