bishops, made an attempt to reconstitute the chapter on “regular” lines, and is said to have actually built a refectory and dormitory, the foundation soon reverted to its original ideals, and the monastic offices were removed as unnecessary.  Like most cathedrals, Wells has been the composition of many hands, and is carried out in many different styles.  Roughly, the work may be classified as follows:  Norm. perhaps even Pre-Norm. font; Trans.  Norm. N. porch, nave and transepts:  E.E. W. front; Dec. lady chapel and chapter-house, central tower and choir; Perp. W. towers, cloisters, gate-houses, chain gateway, and remains of destroyed cloister chapel.  A casual glance will show that the cathedral occupies the centre of a gated close, with deanery and canons’ houses to N., and bishop’s palace to S. The attention is first arrested, as was no doubt intended, by the view from the spacious green.  Here the spectator not only has before him the finest W. front in England, but finds spread out for his study a mediaeval historical picture-book.  The statuary is not only designed to enhance the general architectural effect of the building, but is a genuine attempt to teach the unlearned the rudiments of ecclesiastical and secular history.  The idea, however, is so artistically carried out that the didactic purpose of the sculpture is completely disguised.  Quite in keeping with the usual mediaeval notion, Church and State are regarded as two separate kingdoms, and the events of sacred and profane history are kept distinct.  The S. half is assigned to the ecclesiastics, and the N. occupied by the royalties.  The figures and medallions have suffered considerably from time and fanaticism, and are too distant to be now easily deciphered.  If, however, they are studied from photographs (some of which are exhibited in a photographer’s show-case in the Square), their rare grace and workmanship, which caught the eye of Flaxman and secured the admiration of Ruskin, will be at once discerned.  This unrivalled facade was the work of Bishop Joceline, brother of Hugh of Lincoln, in 1232, and is in the purest style of E.E.  Joceline’s design ended on the N. and S. with the string courses above the top groups of statuary.  The towers, which add immensely to the general impressiveness of the whole, were an afterthought.  They are Perp. work.  The S. tower was built by Bishop Harewell in 1366-86, and its fellow did not follow till 1407-24, when it was constructed by the executors of Bishop Bubwith.  The latter differs from its companion only in the possession of two canopied niches let into the buttresses.  To study the church historically the visitor should enter the N. porch, the oldest part of the present building.  It is E.E., but was executed before the style had divested itself of its Norm. traditions (observe the zig-zag ornament).  This exceedingly beautiful porch is considered by some to be the gem of the cathedral.  Note (1) foliaged weather-moulding,