The so-called Grove, laid out by a distinguished head-master of the King's School, Maurice Wheeler, 1684-1712, on the north side of the church, was used as a school playground till 1855, presumably to the detriment of the windows in the Lady Chapel. It was in that year thrown into the gardens surrounding the east end of the cathedral. These gardens had been originally the monks' cemetery, and adjoining them had been the lay-folks' cemetery, extending along the greater part of the south side.
When all the accumulation of soil was removed, and the ground lowered, the foundations of the old walls were discovered.
The Cathedral, or King's School, is of Henry VIII. foundation. For many years it was held in the old monastic library. A drawing of it is given in Bonnor's "Perspective Itinerary," 1796. The present buildings date back to 1850.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] See Hart, i. 44.