E-text prepared by Jeannie Howse, Jonathan Ingram,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
()
Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.For a complete list, please see the end of this document.
Click on the images to see a larger version.
THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF
SAINT PAUL
AN ACCOUNT OF THE OLD AND
NEW BUILDINGS WITH A
SHORT HISTORICAL SKETCH
BY
THE REV. ARTHUR DIMOCK, M.A.
Rector of Wetherden, Suffolk
WITH XXXIX 
ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON GEORGE BELL & SONS 1900
PREFACE.
The MSS. relating to St. Paul's are deficient in regard to the earlierperiods, but become gradually more complete as time progresses. Theyhave been published or quoted, probably, more extensively than thosebelonging to any other religious foundation in this country, unless itbe such communities as St. Alban's, which have attracted the continuedattention of the editors working under the Master of the Rolls. Inconsequence, although our knowledge, not only of the Romano-Britishperiod but of many succeeding centuries, is defective or altogetherwanting, yet as time advances after the Norman Conquest the merelyprinted material at our disposal becomes gradually almostembarrassing. When we come to the present Cathedral, we know not onlyexactly when it was built, but to a great extent how and why.
In the Parentalia Wren's grandson, Stephen, partly in his own words,partly in those of his famous grandfather, lifting the curtain,discloses the personal history and inner self of the architect at hiswork.
Among the leading authorities are the following, giving the place ofhonour to the—
Parentalia or Memoirs. Completed by his [Sir Christopher's] son,Christopher. Now published by his grandson, Stephen Wren, Esq.(London, 1858).
The History of St. Paul's, by Sir William Dugdale (Ellis' edition,1818).
Repertorium, by Richard Newcourt (London, 1708).
Radulfi de Diceto, Decani, Lundoniensis Opera Historica (vols. i.and ii., edited for the Master of the Rolls by the Bishop of Oxford).
[viii]I have to thank the Dean for permission to consult the Chapter copy ofthe Registrum Statutorum, edited for private circulation (1873) bythat enthusiastic and accurate St. Paul's scholar,