The First Storey
In the centre is the great rose-window, best seen from the interior of the nave. The stained-glass is broken. On either side, against the arching which surmounts it, were two large statues. One of them, David as a youth in shepherd's garb (also known as the Pilgrim), was destroyed by the bombardments. The other very fine statue is variously said to be Saul, Solomon and St. James.
The arching which begins above these statues was adorned with small groups of figures representing scenes from the life of Solomon. Most of them were destroyed at the same time as the Pilgrim statue.
Above the arching, a gigantic statue (twice restored) represents David challenging Goliath. The bombardments of 1914 destroyed a similar statue on the left representing David slaying Goliath with a stone from his sling.
The first storey of the towers flanking the rose-window is broken by lofty twin bays crowned with gables. The niches and pinnacles of the buttresses are identical with those of the nave, but the style of their decoration denotes a more recent period (early 14th century).
The northern tower was badly damaged by the bombardment of September 19, 1914, which fired the scaffolding around it (see photo, p. [9]). Two of the pinnacled niches surmounting the buttresses were decapitated, while the flames completely disfigured the statues, including that of Christ.
A large calibre shell burst in the southern tower on April 19, 1917, causing very serious damage.
SECOND STOREY AND UPPER STOREY OF THE TOWERS