Bath is divided into four parishes: St. Peter and St. Paul, St. James, St. Michael, and Walcot, exclusive of the out parishes of Bath-Hampton, Bath-Wick, Bath-Ford, and Bath-Easton. The parish of St. Peter and St. Paul occupies the centre of the city, and formerly contained two churches, the abbey church, and the church of St. Mary of Stall, which stood on the spot of ground now occupied by the houses connected with the Pump-room Piazza. The Abbey church of Bath is of that class of architecture commonly denominated the Florid Gothic. It remains in the same form as when finished in 1532. It was founded by Oliver King, Bishop of Bath and Wells. It is in length, from east to west, 210 feet; length of the cross aisles, from north to south, 126 feet; breadth of the body and aisles, 72 feet; height of the tower, 152 feet; and the height of the roof, or vaulting, 78 feet. The west window is of extreme richness. The buttresses, on each side of the aisle windows, are ornamented with rolls, containing inscriptions, not now legible, but are said to contain the following allegorical allusion to the founder's name, taken out of the book of Judges, chap. ix. verse 8:-- "Trees, going to choose their king, Said--be to us the Olive king." [Sidenote: King Bladud.] [Sidenote: The discovery of the Baths.] [Sidenote: Bladud and his pigs.] [Sidenote: The Roman city.] [Sidenote: Their temples and baths.] [Sidenote: The monastery.] [Sidenote: Monks were clothiers.] [Sidenote: Cathedral and other churches.] The windows of this church, fifty-two in number, are supposed to have given rise to its appellation of the Lantern of England. Here are various monuments, ancient and modern, and a handsome altar-piece, representing The Wise Men's Offering, given by General Wade. Here is also a fine specimen of monumental architecture in the little chapel, or oratory of Prior Bird, who died in 1525. This chapel has suffered much from having its tracery despoiled, and a part of it cut away to make room for a wooden seat, called the Bishop's Throne. One of the most beautiful and conspicuous monuments which ornament the transepts and nave is, that of Bishop Montague, at the north centre end of the nave. It is an altar-tomb, over which the effigy of the prelate in his robes, lies prostrate on its back. Opposite to this is a pillar, bearing a neat monument, having on a pyramid of Sienna marble, a medallion, with a half-length figure of the witty and celebrated Quin. On a tablet below is the following inscription: