The Towers / Transepts

The two towers are the major surviving parts of the Norman cathedral (which was about two-thirds of the length of the modern church).

The Romanesque building probably ended in an apse at its eastern end (in the area of today's chancel steps). The floor plan west of the crossing was the same as that of today's cathedral.

In 1285/6 the internal walls of the towers were thrown down, and a reinforcing arch inserted, converting the towers into transepts. The large Gothic northern and southern windows were inserted at the same time.

The eastern chapels of each tower (St Paul's in the north, St John the Baptist's in the south) were finished in 1310.

The North Transept

Romanesque doorways and west window survive, although the wooden vault above, with its painted wooden bosses, is Gothic dating from the early 1320s. Above the vault is an enormous bell weighing between four and six tons, the gift of Bishop Peter Courtenay in 1484. In about the same year, Bishop Courtenay also provided funds for the astronomical clock on the north wall of the transept. Copernicus was aged only 10 when this was installed, so the arrangements of the spheres on the dial show the relationship of the earth, moon and sun as it was then thought to be, the golden central sphere representing the earth around which are orbiting the sun and the moon (which is shown in phase). The outer tip of the fleur-de-lys emblem on the sun points to the hour in the day, and the inner base to the day in the lunar calendar. The dial above, showing the minutes, was added in 1760.

On the floor of the transept are the old clock works, removed when the clock was electrified in late 1853. In the wooden door that used to give access to these is a hole for the cathedral cat - which was paid 1d per week in food when on mouse/rat catching duties - a prototype cat-flap. 

The chantry chapel in the north-east of the transept was adapted from an earlier one, for Precentor Sylke, who died in 1508. A restored contemporary wall painting on the north wall shows the Resurrection of Christ. 

The South Transept

Very similar to its northern equivalent in appearance - although the two towers were constructed at slightly different times and slightly different materials were used. Blocked Romanesque windows can be seen on the south wall.  

Above the wooden vault of this tower is a ringing chamber and above that a peal of 14 bells (see notes on bells).  

In the centre of the transept is the tomb of Hugh, second Earl Courtenay, who died in 1377 and his wife, Margaret de Bohun, who died in 1391. The tomb, heavily restored in Victorian times, was formerly in the Courtenay chapel, which stood on the south side of the nave and was demolished in 1833.

Flanking the wall is the tomb of Sir John Gilbert of Compton (d 1596) and his wife Elizabeth Chudleigh. John Gilbert was brother to Sir Humphrey and the family were colonisers of North America, particularly Newfoundland. He was a half brother of Sir Walter Raleigh.

The massive 32' bass pipes of the organ are on the west side of the transept (see notes on the organ).

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