SOUTH-EAST VIEW, FROM THE INCLOSED AREA. THIS strong and very interesting CASTLE is situated All agree, however, when he achieved the conquest of the Isle of Wight, admits of no dispute. In the later times of the Roman dominion, this castrum, like Richborough, (in Kent) was one of those important places, maintained, in a more particular manner than most others, for the defence of the coast against pirates, under the command of the great officer styled Comes Littoris Saxonici. 66 The foundation of the outer walls and semicircular towers of this Castle, in their present extent and form, may unquestionably be assigned to the Romans; but it has had great and important additions made to it in succeeding ages, particularly by the Saxons and the Normans, and again by the English in the reign of Edward III., and the various modes of buildWight to the Roman dominion ;---and we are told (Suetonius, commanded all the Southern coast, and engaged the Britons in Vespasianus," cap. iv.---Eutropius, lib. vii. sec. 19.) that he thirty several battles. Let the fact then, as to his first landing, be how it will, yet, since he could neither command the coast, nor make himself master of the Isle of Wight, without being in possession of PORCHESTER, we may be assured that here he made his abode during a part of his stay in Britain; and that at Porchester were unquestionably planted his tremendous standards.-Titus, the son of Vespasian, must have been with his father, upon this very spot at Porchester :---and it is related of him, (Dion. Cassius, lib. lx. p. 685) that when Vespasian was, on one occasion, entirely surrounded by barbarian troops, and in extreme danger, Titus broke through the ring they formed, with incredible boldness, and rescued him; and putting the Britons to flight, slew many of them."---King's "Munimenta Antiqua," vol. ii. pp. 23, 25. S ing practised by these different nations are yet disco- | from eight to twelve feet: their general height is verable on a minute investigation of the different parts of this noble remain. This fortress, which is of a quadrangular form, stands upon a level site, and includes an area of nearly five acres, in superficial extent. On the north and south sides the walls, measuring on the outside, (and exclusive of the projecting parts of the round corner towers) extend about 620 feet; and on the east and west sides, about 610 feet. Their common thickness is about eight feet, but in parts they vary about eighteen feet, and in many parts a rampart and parapet are still remaining. Independently of the great keep tower, at the north-western angle, there are eighteen towers, connected with the walls, yet standing, of various forms and magnitudes, round, square, and semicircular. On the north, west, and south sides, at some distance from the walls, there are also remains of a deep trench, or ditch, varying in breadth; and on the east side are two ditches, which extend to the water. now called the Land-port, and the Water-port, are, | stituting a Saxon Keep tower, at the north-west speaking collectively, of the Saxon, Norman, and subsequent ages. References to the plan. A. The Decuman Gate, now the Land-port. E. Inner court of the castle. F. The barbican gate and portcullis. G. The well. H. The great Saxon keep. I. Part of the outer ballium;-generally occupied by French prisoners in times of war. J. Part of the outer ballium ;---used as a market when so occupied. The white space between the walls shews the secret passage on the upper story of the keep; and the lines crossing the area shew the space left for a road-way for persons attending the prison, bringing provisions, &c. The round towers at the north-east, south-east, and south-west angles, and the twelve semi-circular towers, which are placed at unequal distances on the various sides, may be stated, generally, at from nineteen to twenty feet in diameter; including the thickness of the walls. In several of them, particularly on the south side, rows of Roman brick, dividing the stone-work, are still distinctly visible; and in various parts of the connecting walls, also, they may yet be traced, although from the alterations and repairs made in successive ages the regular courses have been mostly broken off, or otherwise entirely obliterated. The Decuman Gate, or Land-port, appears, from the irregular manner in which the work is inserted, to have been much wider than the present Norman tower-gateway, which now forms the principal entrance to the Castle, and which is nearly square, its width being about thirty-five feet, and its depth thirty: the passage through the centre is about ten feet wide this tower is much dilapidated. So, also, is the ancient Prætorian gate, or Water-port; or, rather, the rectangular Norman tower, which occupies its site. This, on the side next the sea, was defended by a portcullis; and at different distances within by folding gates, strongly barricadced. Its dimensions are about forty-one feet, by twenty-seven feet and a half: the walls are from five to six feet in thickness. The first innovation upon the Roman works, in the opinion of the late Edmund King, esq. (from whose minute investigations we have certified our own remarks, made in September, 1832,) was that of " sub corner of the Castrum, in lieu of the ancient round tower which had stood there, as in other Roman Castra; and as a place of residence for the chieftain, or prince, instead of the more ancient Roman Prætőrium, which had originally been in the usual situation near the Prætorian gate, and adjoining to that sacellum for the Roman idolatrous ensigns, on whose foundations was afterwards reared a Christian church."* "This Keep tower," continues Mr. King, "though at first sight it may deceive an inattentive observer and be supposed Norman, and somewhat like Gundulph's towers; yet, on a scrutinizing examination, appears to be truly Saxon in every original part of its construction, much less than any of Gundulph's Norman keeps, and far differing from them, though larger than many others of the early Saxon towers. "It stands not,-like most British keep towers, or like Gundulph's Norman keep towers,-in the clear open space of the castle area; but, like most of the early Saxon keeps, adjoining to, and even upon the very outward wall of the area itself;-where being at all times exposed to the attacks of an enemy, it was probably, on that very account, so contrived as not to have a single window on either of the two sides next the country. It also differs from other Norman towers, in that the entrance, though indeed carried through an additional building, is, in a manner, totally different from those in Norman keeps. There is also another remarkable difference ;---for high up on the inner sides of the end walls, east and west, just a little over the third story, are most strange stone mouldings, [rather projecting ridges] pointing downwards, in the form of a V fixed against the walls; and, in a manner resembling a support for the ridges of a roof to be let in. There is some reason to suppose that the original entrance was by a steep flight of steps from the ground,---about the middle of the east side, before the additional building was reared on that side;---and still it is, even now, by a portal, which has a fine circular arch," at its point of communication with the Norman work.--This keep is a lofty structure; and contains two vaults or dungeons, at bottom; with three double apartments above them, in so many several stories its walls are nearly eight feet in thickness; and its * Vide "Munumenta Antiqua," vol. ii. p. 28. In that work the description of the Castle extends from p. 22 to p. 36, and is illustrated by several ground plans and views. + Gundulph, Bishop of Rochester, and builder of the Cathedral and castle in that city, was also the original architect of the White Tower, in the Tower of London. external dimensions on the south and north sides, fifty-seven feet, and on the east and west sides, fiftyeight feet. All the light which it originally received was from narrow loop-holes, except only in the third story, where, on two sides, in what were probably the state apartments, are small windows, in the very plainest Saxon style, consisting merely of two narrow lights, separated by a column, and surmounted by a semicircular arch.* tion with the upper rooms was continued by flights of stairs, which still remain. There is now a considerable rent, or fissure, in the walls on the north side: the upper part is, also, otherwise dilapidated. side, is a much lower building, presumed of the NorImmediately attached to this keep, on the eastern high flight of steps leads to an entrance portal; man age; on the outer side of which a steep and whence, through a dark middle chamber, is the passage to the keep itself. This chamber communicates The interior is divided by a wall, running east and west, five feet four inches in thickness; on each side on each side with a large apartment, (measuring about of which the apartments, respectively, are forty feet twenty-one feet by thirteen feet), in the exterior walls in length, by nineteen feet five inches, and fifteen of each of which, a spacious window has been made feet nine inches in breath. Within the substance of at some period long subsequent to their erection. the wall, at the south-east angle, there is a well, now The southern apartment has been used as a chapel, filled up with earth and rubbish: at the other corner and called St. Mary's Chapel; and the northern is a spiral staircase leading to the upper apartments room, as tradition reports, was fitted up as a bedand to the top of the tower. When fitted up for room for Queen Elizabeth, when on one of her sumprisoners, however, in modern times, the communica-mer Progresses. * "Munumenta Antiqua," vol. ii. pp. 28, 30.-" Here, therefore, we have evidently, by every characteristick mark, the perfect remains of a Regal Saxon tower of residence, and the only fair account that can be rendered of its origin is, that about the year 501, Porta, the Saxon, with his two sons, Biela and Megla, landed at the place now called Portchester, [quære Porta's Castle] and brought such aid to Cerdic, that by means thereof, he (the latter) founded the kingdom of the West Saxons. At Porchester, therefore, he must have found, and must have possessed himself of the prior Roman castrum, the The works originally surrounding the inner court, in width, with an obtuse-pointed arch, including a or ballium, were unquestionably erected in the Nor- strong gate; further on, at sixteen feet and a half, man times; most probably between the era of the was a portcullis, and beyond that another great gate. Conquest and the reign of Edward I. but such Eighteen feet more inward still, was a second portnumerous alterations have been made in this part, cullis, and between eleven and twelve feet beyond that particularly about the time of Edward III., and was a third great gate, and on the west side, a sort of again, though to a less extent, in the reigns of Hen- sally-port. Nearer the inner court, the side walls inries VI. and VII., that its general appearance, (as crease in thickness from four feet nine inches to shewn in the preceding cut,) is that of a much later nearly six feet; and here the entrance passage, which age. In these additional buildings was a great is continued to the extent of forty-three feet more, dining-hall, with its entrance porch, and various becomes wider, its whole breadth being eighteen feet apartments for domestic purposes, having lodgings and a half; in this part was designed a place for over them for the garrison and servants. But the barricadoes. Independently of these defences, the original destination of the various buildings in this whole vaulted passage (the entire length of which is division of the castle cannot now be ascertained, as upwards of ninety feet) was furnished with machicothey have frequently been altered during the last and lations and perforations for pouring melted lead, hot present centuries. At the north-east angle is a square water, &c., on the heads of assailants: and to these tower, communicating with the ramparts and with machicolations, and to the battlements above, was a an intermediate semicircular Roman tower, beyond passage from the top of the walls surrounding the which a passage extends to the keep. Another square inner court. Some part of this entrance is, aptower, but projecting diagonally, stands at the south-parently, of as recent a period as Henry the Sixth's east angle ;-but the most curious part of this Norman reign. Within the court was a draw-well, still open, court, as it may be called, is its fortified entrance, for supplying water to the garrison. In its general which opens from the outer area, on the south. extent, this court measures about two hundred feet At this extremity was a portal, about eight feet by one hundred and twenty-five feet. walls of which do still, in so many parts remain. And as this tower is neither British nor Roman'; nor when closely examined, furnished with the advantages of truly Norman towers, either on Gundulph's plan, or of any later design, we must conclude it could only have been Saxon; and have been reared either by Porta, or Cerdic, or by some of their Saxon successors." Ibid. P. 31. |