On the south side of the cloister is the very charming doorway (Fig. 795) which leads into the church. It is, as is very usual, circular headed, and enriched with a deep bay containing bold mouldings, which in England would, from the square arrangement of their orders, be regarded as of early date. But the style of the richly carved and undercut caps and the foliaged hood mould clearly points to a later period than would at first sight be supposed, certainly not earlier than the nave. To the right of this, and along the east wall of the cloister (see Fig. 795), are arched recesses of a late style; and in the south wall is an arcade of trefoil form, with nail-head enrichments. The latter might also at first sight be regarded as early work, but closer inspection shows that it is an example of the late revival of early forms which prevailed towards the close of the Gothic epoch. Not a fragment remains to show how the cloister walk was enclosed. The roof has evidently been of wood, from the corbels for the wall plate and the holes cut in the wall to receive the timbers (see Fig. 795). These probably rested on a series of pillars and arches running round the outer side of the cloister walk, but whether of stone or timber cannot now be determined. It seems not unlikely, from its entire disappearance, that the outer arcade may have been of timber. [Illustration: FIG. 794.--Melrose Abbey. Royal Arms on West Buttress.] It is stated in Wade’s _History of Melrose Abbey_[135] that the arcade of the cloister formerly extended 150 feet each way. The wall of the cloister is now reduced to the portions which abut against the nave and transept, being 50 feet on the east side and 80 feet on the south side. The former side contains a wall arcade of seven arches (see Fig. 795). These are of the form called drop arches, with crocketed ogee hood moulding, and have plain spandrils above, over which there runs a straight cornice, enriched with flowers and shells of all descriptions, very beautifully carved. It is of these Sir Walter truly says-- “Nor herb nor floweret glistened there But was carved in the cloister arches as fair.” Of the tower (see Fig. 766) over the crossing, which is 84 feet high, only the western wall, with small portions of the north and south walls, now exists. It rises one story in height above the nave roof, and is [Illustration: FIG. 795.--Melrose Abbey. Wall Arcades and North Doorway in Cloister.] crowned with a parapet filled in with quatrefoils, and resting on an enriched and corbelled cornice. At each angle is a shaft rising from a corbel. The three windows are simple, with pointed arch and cusped trefoil, similar to those of the clerestory of the nave and north transept. The tower has, doubtless, been erected about the same time as the transept. The above description of the various portions of the abbey suffices to show how full of interest it is to the student of architecture as well as to the artist.