against it on the outside. But this second wall was built like an aqueduct or arcade on tall and slender piers, from which spring arches mostly semicircular, but some pointed and two probably much later, above which was the parapet. The arches are about 12 ft. span. The result was to increase the rampart to a walk of 5 ft., with a parapet of 2 ft., and probably a rear wall of 1 ft. An arcade so placed afforded great shelter for those attacking the wall from without; but to obviate this, while the piers touched the wall, a space like that for a portcullis, a chase about 2 ft. broad, was left between the arch and the wall, by means of which any one standing at the base of the wall could effectually be molested with missiles or a long pike. Eighteen arches of this arcade remain. The arrangement is a very curious one, and supposed to be singular. This masque or outer wall may be of late Norman date, but is possibly Early English. The piers interfere much with the earlier doors and windows. The wall where double is 35 ft. high. There are traces of some kind of building outside a part of the wall.
A hole broken through the wall into Blue Anchor yard, shows the rear of the wall, and a little further South is Blue Anchor postern, an original archway in the wall, much cut about and enlarged, but of which the portcullis chase worked from the battlements still remains.
From the postern a very steep winding narrow lane leads up into the town, between lines of ancient houses, of which two, one on each side, next the gate, are Norman. Both are curious, but that on the South side especially so. It is the shell of a Norman house, of the age of the older part of the wall. It is called locally King John's Palace, but is in truth an ordinary Norman private house, and a very curious one. The principal room was on the first floor. The roof is gone, but the door and windows remain. These are coupled, small, round-headed, and divided by a short column, with a slightly sculptured capital. The space within the walls is 43 ft. by 45 ft. There is a good Norman fireplace, with hood and flanking columns. In the South and part of the East wall is a mural gallery. The house on the Northern side of the lane is 44 ft. by 15 ft. There is a good view of the town wall, and a plan of the two houses, in Parker's "Domestic Architecture of the Middle Ages" (vol. i. p. 34).
South of the postern the wall ceases to be double, and is all of one date, and about 6 ft. thick. In this part is a flattish rectangular mural buttress tower, much blocked in with houses, but having its South hollow angle crossed by a garderobe. Near this is a high pointed doorway, evidently an insertion, of 24 ft. opening, leading into Collis-court, and about 60 ft. further is the West gate-house.
This is a perfect and plain rectangular gate-house, 30 ft. deep by 24 ft. broad, without buttresses, flush with the wall outside, and of bold projection within. It is pierced by a high pointed vault, of 12 ft. opening. The passage has been a good deal mutilated with a view to widening it. Near the centre was a good recessed doorway, the profile of the head of which is still traceable where it has been roughly cut from the wall. Between this and the inner face are two square portcidlis grooves, and just within the inner entrance is a chase, 18 in. broad, over the head of the arch. In the vault, in front of the central door-case, are nine holes, about 4 in. square, three in the crown line, and three along each haunch. These latter converge towards the central line.
