The marble pavement of the choir was given by Dr. Busby, who was buried beneath it in 1695.
The length of the choir, from iron-gate to altar-rail, is one hundred and sixteen feet six inches; sacrarium, twenty-four feet six inches; altar, fourteen feet six inches; full length, from iron-gate to altar screen, one hundred and fifty-five feet six inches; breadth, thirty-five feet six inches.
The New Reredos.
The Reredos, which is recently put up, is chiefly of white and coloured alabaster from Staffordshire, but combined with a reddish spar from Cornwall: the latter material being adopted from its hardness to give greater strength to the more prominent parts, and from its deeper tone to give a variety of colour to some of the features of the work, which, if it had been made wholly of one material, would have appeared monotonous. It consists of a facade occupying the whole space between two main pillars, having two doors, one on each side of the altar, giving access to the shrine behind. The doorways are arched and richly moulded, and the hollows are filled with bold carving deeply undercut. On either side of each door is a large canopied niche with pedestal, in which are figures of Moses, St. Peter, St. Paul, and David; and on the inner side of each large niche are two smaller ones placed vertically. These niches are all most elaborately wrought with tabernacle work, richly groined and surrounded with pierced tracery, carved bratishing, and complexly terminated with pinnacles, flying buttresses, and spires, all profusely crocketed and finialed. The whole is surmounted with a carved and sculptured cornice of bold proportions. The sculpture, which lies in a large and deep hollow moulding, contains, like the side towards the shrine, fourteen subjects, but they are all scriptural. They are as follow:—1. The Annunciation; 2. The Birth; 3. The Adoration; 4. The Baptism; 5. The First Miracle; 6. Preaching to the Multitude; 7. Gathering the Fragments; 8. Raising of Lazarus; 9. Triumphal Entry; 10. Agony in the Garden; 11. The Crucifixion; 12. The Resurrection; 13. The Ascension; 14. The Gift of Tongues. Among these are interspersed on shields in trefoils the following monograms and emblems:—Alpha and Omega, Agnus Dei, The Chalice, I.H.C., Instruments of the Passion, A Glorified Cross, The Descending Dove. Above the sculpture is a hollow moulding filled with richly carved foliage deeply undercut, and above all is a rich course of carved strawberry-leaf bratishing.
In the space between the inner niches and above the table is a recess wherein is placed an elaborate and minutely finished picture of the Last Supper, in Venetian glass mosaic. It is of large size, and is admirably designed and executed.
The table, which is composed of black and green marble, stands on an elaborately wrought frame of cedar wood. Besides five sculptured panels, and figures of the Evangelists between pillars, it is otherwise richly carved and studded with inlays. The subjects are:—1. Adam and Eve in Paradise; 2. Their Expulsion; 3. The Crucifixion; 4. The Resurrection; 5. The Ascension.
To complete the altar table, there has recently been added a super-altar or shelf of cedar wood, embellished with panels of foliage and monograms, richly carved and gilt. And to complete the Reredos and the mosaic picture, there has been added rich surroundings of cedar wood. Below is a base containing seven zigzag panels of eight points, filled with pictures in mosaic and enamel, and studded with gems. The pictures are, the Annunciation in the centre, and portraits of holy women of Scripture: Ruth, Anna, Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Dorcas. On this base are pilasters at the ends of similar work, and between are two slender detached pillars, all supporting seven canopies of rich tabernacle work, the central one over the principal figure being the largest. All are profusely gilt.
The floor in front of the reredos is wholly new. That of the upper dais is composed of pleasing patterns of inlaid marble work combined with gold glass. That of the lower dais, and of the dais of the sedilia, is composed of rich and varied patterns of red, green, grey, and buff patterns, in every tone of those colours; the three large circular discs are of purple porphyry, rosso antico, similar to the slabs which decorate the shrine and the tomb of Henry the Third. The steps and bands which surround the patterns are all of Purbeck marble.
The stone seat on the south side, which was lately hidden, has now been restored to its original state and use, and the old wood canopies all forming the sedilia, have been lowered on to the seat of stone and made complete. Viewed as a whole, the rich colours of the alabaster and spar, with its delicate and intricate tabernacle work, the interesting sculpture, the glorious mosaic picture, the richly wrought table below, and the elaborate inlaid marble floor in front, all combine to give an impression of the greatest grandeur, the utmost durability, and the highest art. The whole was executed under the direction and superintendence of G. G. Scott, Esq., R.A. The mosaic picture was designed by Mr. Clayton, and executed at Venice by Dr. Salviati. The table was executed by Messr. Farmer and Brinley, the sculpture of the cornice by Mr. Armstead, and the alabaster and marble work by the Abbey masons, Henry Poole and Sons.