The window was executed by Mr. Evans, of Shrewsbury, and contains figures of the four Evangelists, with St. John the Baptist in the centre; the tracery being filled with appropriate emblems and ornamental devices.
A slab of black marble, inlaid with a foliated cross, the arms of the sees of Chester and Ely, and surrounded by an inscription in brass, has been laid over the grave of Bishop Sparke, and the gravestones of Bishops West and Keene have been replaced, and the remainder of the floor laid with encaustic tiles.
Some fragments of stained glass may be seen in a window on the south side, under which stand the remains of Bishop West's monument. Just above this, in seven small arches, closed with as many stones inscribed with names and dates, are immured the remains of seven eminent persons[47] of the tenth and eleventh centuries, who were originally interred in the Conventual church, but from which they were removed in 1154, and the small chests which contained their remains, were placed in the north wall of the Choir of the present Cathedral; and when the position of the Choir was altered in 1770 they were again removed, and deposited in their present resting places.
The perspective view westward through the south aisles of the Choir and the Nave is worthy of notice for the various intersections of the arches and groinings, as seen from a narrow window in the west side of the chapel, or from the door.
The architecture of the south aisle is similar to the north aisle, and the windows were probably altered to their present form about the same period as those in the north aisle. Five of them (as on the other side) have been filled with stained glass:
The first window from the chapel, executed by Messrs. Clayton and Bell, contains subjects taken from the Parables; designed as a memorial of Astley Sparke, Esq., (son of the Rev. Chancellor Sparke,) who was killed in the celebrated cavalry charge at Balaclava in 1854.
The second window was executed by Mr. Cottingham, and contains subjects from the history of Lazarus; the joint gift of Lady Buxton and of her son, Sir Robert Buxton, Bart., of Shadwell Park, Norfolk.
The third window contains incidents in the history of the Saviour, and of St. John; executed by Messrs. Clayton and Bell: the gift of Mrs. Pratt, youngest daughter of Bishop Sparke.
The fourth window, by the same artists, contains subjects illustrative of the history of St. Peter; the gift of the same lady, as a memorial of her husband, Colonel Pratt.
The fifth window, by the same artists, contains subjects illustrative of the history of our Lord: given by the same lady.