as the time of Henry III., and are shown in the view of 1597.

Cradle Tower comes next west, at 118 ft. distant. It stands on the outer wall, and projects 9 ft. into the ditch, with a breadth of 16 ft. It is a gatehouse, and though of small dimension, very complete in its design, and of excellent construction. It stood nearly in front of the bye-gate of the royal quarter, and allowed a direct passage from thence to the quay. It is in plan T-shaped, the portal running through the main limb, which projects into the ditch, and the lateral wings, each containing a lodge, forming a gorge or main front of 26 ft. width, and flanked by two diagonal buttresses, which cap the angles and project into the ward. Between these is the doorway, and on either side of it a small lancet window, cinquefoil-headed. One of these windows is quite unaltered.

The doorway is 7 ft. 2 in. broad, with a drop arch and light chamfer moulding. Two feet in is a portcullis groove, succeeded by a doorway of 5 ft. opening, of which the valves move inwards. The wall is 4 ft. 7 in. thick.

The passage is a chamber of two squares 7 ft. broad, and 12 ft. 6 in. high. It is vaulted in two equal bays, parted by a transverse rib. Each bay has four hipribs, and a straight rib takes the crown line of each vaulting cell, so that eight ribs meet in the centre of

each bay, the point of junction being a hollow circle. There is besides a wall-rib in each gable. The rib parting the two bays, and the longitudinal rib, have a plain mitred junction. The rib and circle-mouldings are the same. They are light and bold, 5 in. broad and 7 in. deep. chamfer, and its

The base of the

apex is an ogee.

rib has a hollow

The ribs spring

from four corner and two intermediate corbels, the tops of which are 7 ft. from the ground. These are octagonal and embattled. The bracket below is much defaced.

The doorway in the south end, of 4 ft. 6 in. opening, had gates opening inwards, and outside them is a second portcullis groove, now, with the exterior of the gate, walled up.

The lodges open from the central passage close to the ward entrance, by doors, 2 ft. 10 in. wide, one of which has the remains of the cusps of a cinquefoil in the head. They are 12 ft. broad by 8 ft. 9 in. long and 12 ft. high, having the small windows already noticed towards the ward. They are hip-vaulted in chalk, with four cells, having four ribs 7 in. broad by 7 in. deep, springing from corbels, now knocked off, but the tops of which were 7 ft. above the floor. There are no wall ribs. The portal arches of the main passage are drop in recesses, of which one is so low as to be nearly, and the other is quite segmental. The vault-arches are equilateral, or nearly so.

On either side of the part of this tower that projects into the ditch, on the outside, is a recess, on the west face 4 ft. 6 in., and on the east face 3 ft. broad, and

1 ft. 4 in. deep.

now removed.

Possibly these were the shoots of

garderobes from the upper floor and battlements, On the west side, at the old water level, are indications of an arched drain, now covered up.

In the curtain, close west of this tower, are traces of a well-stair, which probably led from the west lodge to the roof.

The superstructure of Cradle tower is said to have formed a part of the palace quarter, and the view of 1597 shows it as a water-gate, with a square turret on its west flank, where was the supposed staircase. It shows also, west of this, a considerable tower extending across the ward, here very narrow, to the Lanthorn tower, and which no doubt contained the Lanthorn gate.

The details of this tower are rather Decorated than Early English; and if, as is historically probable, it be the work of Henry III., it must be late in his reign, and was perhaps completed by his son. Owing to the cumbrous character of the sluices and gates of St. Thomas's tower, state prisoners were sometimes admitted by this gate, then fitted with a draw-bridge.

St. Thomas's Tower, better known from its ancient function as Traitors' gate, is the water-gate of the Tower, and also contained and commanded the communication between the Thames and the main ditch. It is, in fact, a barbican, and a very singular one, placed astride upon the ditch, here 40 ft. broad, and perforated by a passage leading from the river. It stands considerably west of the south front, being in

advance of the Bloody tower 30 ft., the breadth, at this point, of the outer ward.

The quay, in front of this tower, is traversed by a channel, 28 ft. broad and 13 ft. 6 in. deep, partlyarched over and newly lined with granite, which opens from the Thames, through an archway 21 ft.

broad, into a rectangular basin or pool, 66 ft. by 40 ft., and 18 ft. deep, lined and paved with stone, and containing, when the gates are opened, about 8 ft. of water at high water. A flight of steps from the water, on the inner or north side of this basin, landed the prisoner within 30 ft. of the gateway of the inner ward.

The tower proper is placed above the outer 18 ft. of this basin, but its side walls are prolonged backwards, so that both the front and sides of the basin are protected. The south wall, 9 ft. thick, is pierced below by a low-browed water portal, already mentioned, beneath

a drop arch, ribbed and chamfered. Between the ribs is

a groove, 6 in. broad, for an iron sluice or portcullis,

G