Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/252

elaborately traceried and groined inside, and in front have delicately cuspod and sub-cusped arches. Above the arches are crocketed pediments, the tympana of those at the sides being decorated with beautifully-carved natural foliage, whilst the larger end tympana contain subjects—at the west the decapitation of St. Alban, and on the east the scourging of Amphibalus. There have been seated figures in the spandrels between the pediments. One of these is missing on the south, and is, except the buttresses, the only important loss on that side; the remaining two represent kings, that in the middle holding a model of a church, and the other holding a lance. There is a third king at the west end in the spandrel between the sub-arches, and he, like the first mentioned, holds a model of a church. It is not quite clear whom these represent; one of them must be Offa, but no other kings appear to have been benefactors to such an extent as to justify their being represented as founders. Only one of the three figures, which have been in the spandrels on the north side, has been found; it represents a bishop or abbot in eucharistic vestments. The half-spandrels next the corners of the shrine contain censing angels, all eight of which have been found. A splendidly carved cornice runs round the shrine above the pediments, the finials of which form part of it. And above the cornice the structure is roofed with thick slabs of marble, the edges of which are worked so as to form a cresting round the whole. This topmost member is not part of the recent find, but has been lying in the church for some years, and is said at one time to have formed part of the pavement. The inscription which Dr. Nicholson placed on the site of the shrine was cut on a portion of it.

Standing on spurs of the plinth, opposite the principal divisions and at the angles, there have been detached buttresses, connected with the main structure by transoms at the height of the springing of the niche-heads, and by half-arches butting against the cornice, the enrichment of which they penetrate. Of these buttresses, fourteen in number, very little has been recovered. Their general form can be made out from the spurs, upon which they stood, and from the connecting arches and transoms, of which latter three complete examples have been found, giving not only their own form but that of the shafts above and below them. Of the