The cathedral is built of freestone from the Chilmark quarries twelve miles distant, with a lavish use of Purbeck marble in its interior. The grey colour of the leaden roofs and the pure unstained tone of its walls, impart a quasi-modern aspect to it, which, no matter how little justified by facts, always presents Salisbury to one's mind, as a late addition to the superb array of English churches; yet considering that as we see it from the Close no portion (except possibly the spire) later than the twelfth century comes into the picture, there is no other cathedral that so little justifies such an impression, and one cannot escape a return to the first reason advanced, namely, that its singular unity has given it an aspect of perpetual youth.
THE CHOIR SCREEN.
From a Photograph by Carl Norman and Co.[ToList]
FOOTNOTES:
[4] This was carefully replaced in its original position inclosed in a copper cylinder.
[5] Recently, however, anxiety has been again aroused, and the spire has been once more strengthened.
[6] This lantern story was removed in 1757 by order of the Dean and Chapter.