But although the Castle Hills should be regarded as the site of this building, the opinion of Camden is to the contrary Speaking of Ipswich castle, Camden says "This fort is now gone, so that there remains not so much as the ruines thereof. Some say it was in the parish of Westfield (Westerfield) hard by, where is to be seene the rubbish of a castle, and where old Gipwic, as men say, stood in times passed." It is evident that this writer points to the spot on the road to Tuddenham, to which reference has been made, but his information has been derived from the accounts of others, and not from personal examination. That "old Gipwic" did not stand upon the site intimated, is clear from the remains of the old fosse or ditch still existing, and encircling the upper part of the present town. No doubt remains, however, that the earth-works on the road to Tuddenham were at an early period regarded as of ancient construction, as Speed in his map, made in 1610, gives an outline of their form. Although seven hundred years have passed since this castle was demolished, yet from the knowledge obtained by the researches of antiquaries relative to Norman structures for military defences, not much doubt exists with respect to its characteristics. The component parts of a complete castle in the first Norman centuries, may be stated to consist of The barbican. Outward vallum, or rampart. * "Suffolke discribed and divided into Hundreds. The situation of the fayre town of Ipswich shewed, with the armes of the most noble families that have bene either dukes, or earles, both of that countie as also of Clare." This map belongs to Speed's Theatre. Middle vallum. Inner ballium. Mount, keep, and a square tower built before the entrance, containing secret passages, and other stratagetic contrivances, sally ports, &c. Upper ballium surrounding it. Upper and lower wards. The keeps were ascended by an unguarded flight of steps, from which the besiegers might be precipitated, and though the plan of this part of the building was nearly the same in all, yet some of the military contrivances were effected in a different manner.* It is not known if William surrounded the town of Ipswich with a ditch and wall after their demolition by the Danes-a plan not unusual when a castle was erected for the protection of a community. The earliest account of defences of this character surrounding the town, is found in the time of John, in the 5th year of whose reign (1203) it is stated :-"the king caused the ditche and wall to be made by the aide of the county and off the county of Cambridge."+ This entry appears to refer to the first Norman erection of these defences. They may however have existed previously, and thrown down at the same period as the demolition of the castle took place. The wall erected by John has long since perished, but a considerable portion of the ditch is still evident, *Dallaway's Architecture in England. See also King on Castles. These stragetic contrivances were often of the most curious description, and adopted with the primary object of deceiving the enemy. False portals were constructed, and while an attack was made upon an entrance, it was found that within it nothing but a blank wall rewarded success, and that the real entrance was at a distant point. False portals have been discovered in the castles of Colchester, Rochester, Canterbury, and other structures of defence. It was no unusual proceeding that distant towns and counties should be charged for aids to the defence of other places. and gives its name to the street in which it is situated, the "Tower Ditches."* The history of the walls and ditches of Ipswich indicate distinctly the gradual rise of the town into early and medieval importance, and the extension of its boundaries. To this day the northern side of the town has not enlarged, the ditches and the lane, or half street, behind them, being still the suburbs of the place as they were centuries since. The natural progression of Ipswich has taken a west, east, and southern direction, leaving the north almost untouched. It is difficult, and perhaps impossible to trace with unerring certainty the course taken by the old wall and ditch, after the lapse of centuries, and since their integral decay. It seems however probable from present appearances, that after reaching the point called Major's Corner, at the end of Carr Street, the old circumvallations made a sharp angle to the right, down the Upper Wash, and so continued towards the river, where further trace is lost. The line Little doubt exists that at that portion of the wall anciently occupying the north side of the church of St. Mary Tower, stood a tower of defence, which gave a name to this ecclesiastical structure. This church is mentioned in the earliest records as Sc Maria ad Turrim, which is perhaps decisive upon the point. The line taken by the walls near this church also points to the probability that a tower stood here. An additional proof of the existence of a tower at this point may also be found in the circumstance that the church being in early periods the chief sacred structure of the town, and that within its grave-yard the Burghmote of the inhabitants was held for the transaction of public business, that a tower of defence would be erected near it, for the purposes of especial protection. We find in the second year of John, the inhabitants assembled in the churchyard to prepare themselves for the reception of the Charter given them by that monarch.* It would appear that the existence of this tower proves the town had been surrounded by a wall of defence before the period above stated, the 5th of John, when the "ditches and wall" were made by the aid of the counties of Suffolk and Cambridge. Ipswich Domesday Book. may again be taken up in Tanner's Lane, from thence upwards to Lady Lane, and so joining the street retaining the name of the Ditches, in St. Matthew's parish, by continuing through the stack of houses now filling the space at the juncture of St. Matthew's Street with Globe Lane. By this course St. Margaret, St. Helen, St. Clement, and St. Matthew's churches would have stood without the walls; but it is well known that the church of St. Helen and also St. Clement were "suburbus ville Gypeswic,"* and this might also have been the case as respects the other structures apparently excluded from defence. The following entries connected with the wall and ditches are found in the Municipal Records. The grants of the soil to various individuals for the erection of houses, shew the growing extent and increase of the borough. 31st Edward I, (1302) “Granted to Robert Joyliffe parcell of the Town Ditches over Stabler's Grange, at the yearly rent of sixpence for ever, unless it comes to pass that the town shall be enclosed with a stone wall." Here we arrive at a date when the wall was either down or in a dilapidated condition. 13th Henry VI, (1434) at a great court held Monday after Hilary, "Common soile, parcell of the Towne Ditche at the Barr Gates, in length 44 foote and 36 foote in breadthe is granted to John Frenche at 6d. rent." 19th Edward IV, (1479) "Granted to Peter Joy, parcell of the common soile by way nigh the Town Ditche over against the way from the round crosse to Blackfriars Bridge, 298 foote * Jermyn's MSS. That the ditch and wall followed the course of Lady Lane is evident, for in 34th Eliz. "the wall ditches" against the Almshouses in Lady Lane were then "dooled out." 2nd Henry VII, (1486) "Granted to Margarett Kettle common soile 260 feet long, and in bredth between her house north, and the topp of the town wall south, as shall be sett out by meete and bound at 18d. rent." 6th Henry VII, (1490) "Granted to Thomas Gardener, in fee of the town ditche in Mary Elmes upon the south of the way leading from the church to Horsewade mill, 196 foot of ground in length and westward 221 foot, and in breadth northward 62 foot, and southward 111 foot, at 12d. rent, and to repaire the water lane to the river for ever." 6th Henry VIII, (1514) "Thomas Manser shall make up the town ditches by him demolished, and amend the water-course at the Wodhouse, and shall not suffer his pond any longer to runne to the annoyance of the people." 20th Henry VIII, (1528) "Thomas Portwich hath granted unto him the profitt and easement of the town wall over against his tenement from the Barre to the end of the Ditche, and to conduct the water from the brooke running by the saide wall ditche into his tenement, at 9d. rent." 30th Henry VIII, (1538) "Robert Williams shall have the feeding of the common ditche from the old Barr Gates to John Harrisson's house, provided that he cleanse the way along the said dikes next to the town of all filth, and that he shall not lay any mucke there during his terme." 1st Mary, (1553) "Munday 29th Ffebruary. The town walls and ditches shall be cast up and repaired by the inhabitants that have any ground adjoyning to the wall ditches before Easter next, and that turnpikes shall be sett up before that time." This entry refers to an intention to put the town in a position of defence upon the accession of Mary |