the capitals whence spring three of the ribs, are of Early English character. The shafts are wanting.

The upper chamber is rudely circular, and about 18 ft. across. The walls are 8 ft. thick. From the well-stair, which commences at this level, a short passage opens into a rectangular lobby, also vaulted, 4 ft. by 5 ft. 6 in., from which a door leads into the chamber, and another into a small flag-roofed mural gallery, which threads the south wall for 22 feet, and has two loops, one raking the south curtain, the other lighting a garderobe, which seems to have another opening direct into the tower.

The main chamber was lighted by four loops, of which two have been converted into windows, and two stopped up. These recesses are of irregular breadth, with high drop arches, the crowns 10 ft. 3 in. from the ground, with traces of a broad moulding above each. The north loop rakes the west curtain, and has cupboards right and left under flat drop arches for archer's tools. Another has a lateral squint towards the south, and another, with a hole in its arch, widened by the rubbing of the old bell-rope, has evidently been used as a doorway. No doubt it opened upon the gatehouse, now removed, which crossed the outer ward at this point, close north of the Byward gate. This chamber is rudely domed in with overhanging courses of tile stone and flat rubble, like an ancient dovecote. No doubt a proper vault was intended. To the spring of the dome is 14 ft., to its crown 22 ft.

It was in this chamber that, in 1830, was discovered an inscription commemorating the imprisonment here,

FEET.

9

ley, to the Queen of

Scots.

The well-stair ascends from this floor to the battlements;

and at its foot a narrow door, set in a square recess, opens upon the rampart wall of the west curtain, leading to the Beauchamp tower. The Bell tower has been the subject of an interesting paper by the Rev. Thomas Hugo, read in Suffolk Street, in 1858. It may safely be attributed to the reign of John, or even of Richard I., that is, to the last twenty years of the twelfth century.

The Curtain, from

Bell to Beauchamp tower, 138 ft. in length, 37 ft. high above the outer, and 18 ft. above the inner ward, and 10 ft. thick, is very perfect, but still much encrusted by dwelling-houses. The exterior of this wall shows eleven loops about 12 ft. from the ground, 12 ft. apart, and these are found within to represent eleven recesses of 7 ft. 4 in. opening, with drop arches of 3 ft. 4 in. rise, so that the curtain was pierced by an arcade intended for the defence of its base against the outer ward, but which would have been fatal to the security of the heavy superstructure, had the most ordinary battering engine been brought to bear upon it. The recess next to Beauchamp tower seems to have been walled up when that tower was built. At the base of the parapet was a string-course, now much mutilated. The rampart walk remains open, but a part of it lies between the roofs of houses. The loops are of one pattern, of about four inches opening, and cruciform. The three upper ends are square; the lower expands into a round oillet.

This mural arcade is very singular. Such of the recesses as are accessible are found to be lined with brick, and can scarcely, in their present form, be earlier than the reigns of Edward IV. or Richard III., if so early. In fact they much resemble the work of Henry VIII. Still it is difficult to suppose that the openings themselves are later than the wall, which they so seriously weaken. They evidently exist beyond the Beauchamp to the Devereux tower, as the loops are visible, although the back of the wall is so

shut in with dwelling-houses and the vaults of the church, as to be inaccessible. Nothing like them has been detected between the Bell and Bloody tower, or in the fragments of the original curtain on the east side, about the Broad Arrow tower. In the short low cross curtains connected with Salt tower, something like these recesses may be seen, and apparently of early date.

The Beauchamp, or Cobham tower, stands towards the centre of the west wall, into which it has been inserted, either as an addition, or more probably in place of an earlier tower. Its plan is a semi-circle of 36 ft. exterior diameter, and 18 ft. projection beyond the curtain. The exterior wall is 8 ft., and the gorge wall 4 ft. thick, and ranging with the inner face of the curtain.

This tower is of three stages, not vaulted, the middle being at the rampart level. A well-stair, 9 ft. diameter, in the curtain, close south of the tower, opens from the inner ward, and communicates with each floor, the curtain ramparts, and the battlements of the tower. The stair is looped towards the field, and its passage has a small window towards the inner ward.

The middle chamber is that possessing most interest, from the number and quality of the memorials cut upon its walls by its distinguished prisoners. Its plan is rectangular, with a western bow of three sides of an octagon. In the gorge wall is a large modern restored window, and in the bow two loops and one central window, no doubt once a loop towards the field. One face is occupied by a fire-place, perhaps of

modern date. Though used as a prison, it was evidently constructed for defence only, as a place d'armes upon the rampart. Hence the rampart walk is continued right through it, and from the passage opens a small mural chamber, 6 ft. by 8 ft., with a loop to the field, and near it a small mural garderobe, 5 ft. by 4 ft. The staircase on the south, and these chambers on the north, occupy the two square turrets which flank the Beauchamp tower.

Beauchamp tower is in the Decorated style, and the work of the fourteenth century, probably of Edward III. It is evidently later than the contiguous curtain into which it has been inserted. Its name of Beauchamp is probably derived from Thomas Earl of Warwick, who was imprisoned here towards the end of the fourteenth century, and it has also been called "Cobham," from the well-known prisoner of that name, who was lodged here in consequence of Wyatt's conspiracy. It is built of uncoursed rubble, much resembling St. Thomas's and Salt tower, and very different from the basements of Wakefield, Bell, and Martin towers. The rubble is broken into vertical compartments by lines of ashlar, of single stones, set like coign stones, though on a plain surface.

The curtain from Beauchamp to Devereux tower is 148 ft. in length, and about 30 ft. high outside, the rampart being level, and the ground rising. It is original, and about 10 ft. thick, except where it expands to 14 ft. on joining the Beauchamp tower. The cells in its base are indicated by their exterior loops. Near to Devereux tower this curtain has been