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Brass offertory dishes,
about 500 years old.
Old colours of the 65th and 84th Regiments of Infantry.
Two small old chests (very curious), supposed to be
Peter's pence boxes.
Archbishop de la Zouch's Chapel (1351) is to the east
of the vestry, and can be entered either from the choir
aisle or from the vestry; it is now used as the chapter
clerk's office. It contains the valuable fabric rolls which
have so much enlightened us in the history of the erection
of this venerable building. This room is also used
for the sittings of convocation.
The Treasury can also be entered from the vestry or from
the east aisle of the south transept ; there is nothing remarkable
in it except Peter's well, which is in the south-west
corner. It is now used as the choristers' school-room.
The Towers.—^The great central-tower is ascended through
a smaU door-way in the western aisle of the south transept.
The top is reached by an ascent of two hundred and seventythree
steps, when, if the atmosphere be clear, a very extensive
view of the Vale of York may be seen.
The south-west or bell-tower is ascended through a small
door-way in the south aisle of the west end of the nave, which
leads to the bell-chamber; from this a gallery along the west
front leads to the north-west tower, in which the monster
bell, *'Big Peter," is installed in a room to himself.
The Peal of Bells consists of twelve, of various dimensions,
from 2i to 5i feet in height. The following are the
particulars of weights and diameters
No. Cwts. Qrs. Lbs. Ft. In.
7 14 1 2 3 6
8 17 3 18 3 9
9 19 3 11 4 0
10 25 1 10 4 3
11 35 3 7 4 9
12 ... 63 3 0 5 5
No. Cwts. Qrs. Lbs. Ft. In.
1 . 7 1 22 2 6
2 7 1 U 2 7
3 .804 2 8
4 ... 8 1 12 2 11
5 .... 9 2 15 3 0
6 .. 13 0 8 3 21
With the exception of "Big Ben " at the Houses of Parliament,
'^Big Peter" is the largest bell in England. ^
It is
7 feet 2 inches high, diameter 8 feet 4 inches, and weighs 10
tons 15 cwt.; the clapper weighs 4 cwt. 1 qr. 5 lbs., and the
ironwork 13 cwt. 2 qrs. 19 lbs.; the thickness of the soundingcurve
is 7 inches. It was cast by Messrs. Mears, of London,
in 1845, at a cost of £2,000, which was raised by pubhc