which remained standing. It was no doubt by some such cause as this
that the early clerestory was disfigured and partly destroyed. In
either case, the old clerestory arcade of the twelfth century no
longer remained as it was before; and though there were already stone
vaults to the aisles of the nave before the fire occurred, yet they
also disappeared and made way for newer ones. The outer roof over the
triforium evidently shared the fate of the other coverings; and the
arched abutment in the triforium, which acted as a support to this
roof and the walling below the clerestory, now disappeared. It may be
that this arching was not completely destroyed by the fire alone; no
doubt some that remained was intentionally removed to prepare the way
for the new work.

The same bishop who had witnessed the completion of the earlier
operations began with much enterprise to see about the reconstruction,
but not the restoration, of what had been destroyed. Some portions
were repaired, others rebuilt; but the greater part of the work now
undertaken involved an entire change in the character of some of the
principal features of the earlier scheme. In fact, this incident in
the history of our subject gave "occasion to one of the most curious
and interesting examples of the methods employed by the mediæval
architects in the repairs of their buildings." [2]

[2] Willis, "Chichester Cathedral," p. 6.

Having decided that they would, if possible, avoid all future risk of
a similar catastrophe, a system of vaulting was adopted as the best
solution of the problem,--this involved necessarily a remodelling of
the interior; and so, neglecting the Isle of Wight limestone and the
Sussex sandstone, which at first had been the material used for the