The wings of the western Tower formed a second Transept to the church,
and were doubtless perfectly similar; the remaining wing has towers at
the angles; that at the south-west angle is larger than the other,
though they are of equal height, and rise considerably higher than the
wing. Both wing and towers are covered with ranges of arcading one
above another, commencing a few feet from the bottom; the three lowest
tiers are round-headed, the fourth are trefoil-headed, the fifth and
all above are pointed and profusely adorned with mouldings; and the
whole surface is enriched with diaper patterns. The roof was formerly
of a higher pitch, as may be seen by the marks on the Tower.
Some years ago there was a communication by a covered viaduct over the
road, between this Transept and the east wing of the Bishop's Palace,
which enabled him to visit the Cathedral under cover; and the road
over which it passed is still called "The Gallery."
"Mr. Stewart has pointed out the fact that the Galilee porch is not
parallel to the axis of the Nave, but has a marked inclination to the
north, while the Choir on the other hand (like that of Exeter),
inclines to the south. This doubtless was for a symbolical reason. The
ground plans of churches, by so frequently assuming a cross form,
typify the doctrine of the Atonement--the Choir or Chancel marking the
position of the Saviour's Head, the Transepts His Arms, and the Nave
His Body. By an expansion of this idea the Choir is made to bend
southwards to shew the inclination of the Redeemer's Head upon the
cross; while, as it would seem here the Porch is turned in an opposite
direction to indicate the position of His feet."[22]
[Footnote 22: Hewitt's description of Ely Cathedral, p. 13.]
+The Galilee[23] or Western Porch.+
[Footnote 23: The name "Galilee" is thus accounted for by the late
Rev. G. Millers in his "Description of Ely Cathedral," p. 43. "As
Galilee, bordering on the Gentiles, was the most remote part of the
Holy Land from the Holy City of Jerusalem, so was this part of the
building most distant from the sanctuary, occupied by those unhappy
persons, who, during their exclusion from the mysteries, were reputed
scarcely, if at all better than heathens."
Another writer gives as a reason for the name, that upon a woman
applying for leave to see a monk, her relation, she was answered in
the words of Scripture, "Behold he goeth before you into Galilee,
there you shall see him."]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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