With all due deference to Messrs. Jones and Freeman, however, the great arcaded parapet, which is certainly the most noticeable feature of the building, gives at least a hint that Bishop Gower had an _arrière pensée_ against defence. As the close was fortified, it was not necessary to make any elaborate preparations against attack; but it will be noted that, although there is no moat, the river Alan--then much larger than now--runs past one side, and that on the others there were very few windows, and those small; in fact, most of the remainder opens on to the great quadrangle, which was self-contained. Let us look at it again from another point of view. Eliminate the parapet, and what do we find? Truly, except for an excellent plan and mere bulk, nothing at all extraordinary from an architectural point of view. A particular description must be given to the =Parapet=. It consists of a series of arches, with a hollow ornamented by Gower’s four-leaved flower, carried down on octagonal shafts, which rest on corbels of considerable variety about two feet down the wall. Above the arcade is a corbel-table carrying a projecting battlemented cornice. The battlements have extremely narrow embrasures and loopholes. The sills of the arcade are steeply slanted outwards, and the jambs show the old shape of the roof and finish with a neat weathered projection. Great richness is obtained above the arcade from the various coloured stones employed. They are set in squares, alternately purple and grey, in the voussoirs of the arches and the spandrils above them, and make a mellow and harmonious chequer-work which greatly adds to the character of the whole building. A similar parapet is only known to occur in two other buildings (also attributed to Gower), viz., Swansea Castle and Lamphey Palace, near Pembroke. We can place the date of the building about 1340, as an ordinance by Bishop Gower, dated May 27, 1342, orders that only certain buildings belonging to the bishop be kept in repair,[97] which includes the palace. Architecturally, the arrangements are excellent. The leading idea is a great quadrangle, but so skilfully broken up with projections that the monotonous rectangular effect of the square gives place to a most pleasing and picturesque variety, and although the main portion is kept about the same height throughout, yet the most dignified chambers are given due prominence and the parts of lesser importance treated with a fit reticence. The building is raised on crypts, which, however, were evidently used for domestic offices from the windows (once glazed) and the divisions. The vaults are of the plain barrel description, without ribs, although there are some which rather suggest ribs. These vaults do not run longitudinally, as under St. Mary’s Chapel or, indeed, the chapel in the palace; the reason being that divisions, for living purposes, were necessary on both floors.