Bath Abbey is a very interesting example of late Perpendicular. It was nearing completion when it surrendered to Henry VIII. in 1539, and is, therefore, the last expression of Gothic Art. The most interesting part of the church is the =West Front=, with its large window flanked by the turrets with the ladders, already described. Each turret contains a staircase; rises far above the parapet of the nave; and terminates in an embattled parapet surmounted by an eight-sided and crocketed pyramid. “The great west window is one of seven lights, divided horizontally into four parts. Below it is a battlemented parapet with a niche in the centre, in which, no doubt, a statue formerly stood, and in which a new statue has recently been placed. At the base of it are the arms and supporters of Henry VII. Below it is the west door, beneath a rectangular label. The spandrels contain emblems of the Passion. On either side stand statues of St. Peter and St. Paul, to whom the church was jointly dedicated; these seem to be of Elizabethan date. The doors themselves were the gift to the church of the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Henry Montague, brother of the bishop who completed the church. On them may be seen shields bearing the arms of the Montagues and of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.”--(T. P.) The =Central Tower= is oblong and rises two stages above the roof. It contains two pairs of windows [Illustration: BATH ABBEY: WEST FRONT] [Illustration: BATH ABBEY: CHOIR, WEST] with rectangular heads and each corner is ornamented by a heavy octagonal turret also terminating in octagonal pyramids decorated with crockets. Similar pyramids terminate the turrets that flank the sides of the east window of the choir. There is no Lady-Chapel. Let us survey the exterior: “The nave consists of five bays. The clerestory windows are unusually lofty, and are divided by transoms; they are of five lights. Along the top of the clerestory wall is a battlemented, pierced parapet; but the pattern of the pierced openings differs from that of the parapet which runs along the top of the aisle walls. The aisles have five light windows without transoms; their heads are four centred arches; between each bay are projecting buttresses of three stages with gabled offsets, finished with crocketed pinnacles; against them rest flying-buttresses formed of a lower semi-arch, with a straight rectilinear truss. From the points where the arched flying-buttresses abut against the clerestory walls, vertical, slightly projecting buttresses are built upwards against the wall and rising above the parapet, are finished by crocketed pinnacles. The same design is carried right round the church. The clerestory of the transepts resembles those of the nave and the choir.”--(T. P.)