and the recesses so obscured and encumbered by stores and brick walls, that it is difficult to examine them minutely.

The chamber is 10 ft. high. It has a flat timber covering, which if not original is very old, and may well represent the original.

the rebuilding of the upper

Henry III.

Probably it dates from story, in the reign of In the centre of the chamber, upon a plain stone cheese-like base, is set up an oak post, 18 in. square, with the angles taken off. Upon this rest two beams, 11 in. square, at right angles, crossing the chamber east and west and north and south. Parallel to the former, 2 ft. from it on each side, are two other similar beams also crossing the chamber. There are, therefore, left outside these beams, and divided by the north and south beam, four quadrants, and these are filled up each with five beams, also 11 in. square, which radiate fan-like towards the walls, where all seem to have rested upon a stone ledge or wall plate. The radiating beams are morticed into the main beams. These timbers have rotted at the wall ends, and to support them, and the load of records above them, two octagonal frames have been placed beneath, one close to the wall, and one half-way between the walls and the central post, and these are supported each by eight props, so that the interior of the chamber is disfigured by a regular forest of seventeen posts.

The ordnance office abuts upon this tower on the east, and takes the place of the old curtain. In the present entrance, and applied to the exterior and

north-east side of the tower, is a later well-stair, 6 ft. 6 in. diameter, which ascends to the first floor and the battlements.

This upper or first floor, also an octagon chamber, is of 30 ft. diameter, and has a recess in seven of its eight faces. Of these three to the south, and that to the north-west, terminate in modern enlargements of the old windows, as does that to the west, of which the opening is skewed, to avoid the Bloody tower. In the

north face is a fireplace, probably representing an original one. The north-east recess is closed at 4 ft. deep, and that to the east is occupied by two openings; one, the present door, evidently not original; close

north of which, beneath a drop arch, is the original entrance from the palace, 5 ft. 5 in. broad, and at 2 ft. 6 in. deep reduced to 4 ft. broad, where it forms a lofty doorway, now closed. These recesses have each a drop arch, supported by a plain chamfered rib.

The south-east recess has been fitted up as an oratory, and its sides are produced inwards by two walls, buttressed in tabernacle work at their west ends, and connected above by a plain bold drop arch, rather light, and flatter than the rest. This no doubt is the chapel mentioned in 1238. It is possible that the recess to the north-east was the royal door, and that the narrow eastern opening led to the stair and to the rampart of the curtain.

.

The south recess also differs from the rest, in having within it a second rib, of 3 ft. opening, as though above a doorway, and the opening is twisted to bring it opposite to the door of St. Thomas's tower, between which openings, 18 ft. apart, there was evidently either a cross wall or a light bridge, giving a short cut from the palace to the ramparts of the water-gate.

The intention was to vault this chamber, and in each angle is a semi-octagon pier, with a rude base, and without a cap. The total height of the ceiling, now flat, is 25 ft., so that the vault was to have had a high pitch with eight cells. It is clear that this never was executed.

A line of blocked-up arches in the outer wall shows that an upper story was contemplated, and probably constructed, since in St. Thomas's tower is a second or upper door, evidently intended for a second bridge, or

E

passage along a cross rampart, above that already

mentioned.

The arch-rings within, and the whole of the basement story without, of this tower, are of finely-jointed ashlar, and it appears from the decay of some of the stones, and from other indications, that the joints were not mere face-work, but were equally fine through the whole depth of each outer stone, a degree of precision unknown now, and rare at any age. The upper story is of uncoursed rubble. It has been pointed and stuck over with chips of flint, but the acute relieving arches over the windows are seen, both of the first and second floor. The parapet is of brick, and encrusts an older wall of stone.

The basement of Wakefield tower is probably late Norman, perhaps of the reign of Stephen, or Henry II., although this is no doubt early for masonry so finely jointed. The superstructure is early in the reign of Henry III., perhaps 1220-30, as in 1238 mention is made of the chapel in the new tower next the hall, and towards the Thames. The records of the realm were lodged in the New Temple as late as 20 Edw. I., but 33 Edw. I. they were in the Tower, no doubt the keep, whence “extra magnam turrim," to make room for King John of France, they were removed, 1360, probably to this tower. In August of that year the clerk of the works was to repair the roof, doors, and windows of the house provided for the records, and this is repeated next year for the tower in which are the Chancery rolls.

The Bloody tower is the gatehouse of the inner

ward. It stands in the south front, west of the centre, opposite to the earlier Traitor's gate, and it abuts against the also earlier Wakefield tower. The exterior face ranges with the curtain. Its position was no doubt determined by that of Traitor's gate, and by the advantages offered by the flanking defence of Wakefield tower on the outside and Cold Harbour wall on the inside.

It is rectangular or nearly so in plan, 25 ft. broad and 38 ft. deep, and pierced by a vaulted passage, the axis of which has a twist to the east. It is of three stages, and 47 ft. high from the outer gate cill to the parapet, which is modern, and of brick.

The portal, 15 ft. wide, opens under a low-browed drop arch, 8 ft. high at the spring, and 14 ft. at the crown; 3 ft. 6 in. within the entrance is a 6 in. portcullis groove, working through the vault in a chase 2 ft. 6 in. broad, so as to admit a heavy wooden frame. Then follows a double chamfered gateway, reducing the passage to 11 ft. 8 in. Next is the body of the gatehouse, 21 ft. long and vaulted, having a pair of gates at each end, and on the right a porter's lodge. The inner pair of gates are succeeded by another chamfered gateway of 11 ft. opening, and this by a second portcullis, with a chase only 1 ft. 4 in. broad, followed by the inner portal of 15 ft. opening. The passage rises about one foot in ten, and this rise, giving a great advantage to the defenders, is continued to opposite the White tower, where it ends in a short flight of steps.

The vaulted space occupying the central part of the