quence, changing the name of the place from Monkchefter to that of Newcastle.

William, on this occafion, fhewed a moderation not usual in his political conduct; for although he had been at vast expence in building this fortrefs, he was fo far from levying it upon the town's people, that, on the contrary, he encreased and enlarged their liberties and privileges.

From that period, Newcastle rapidly encreafed in population, trade, and wealth; whilft William, and fucceeding kings, conferred upon it many privileges and immunities; building, both for ufe and ornament, walls, monafteries, churches, and bridges; of which, with what other public buildings have fince been erected, we intend to prefent our readers with a circumftantial detail, in their order.

THE WALLS.

The wars and tumults, which in early times prevailed in this ifland, made it neceffary to have recourfe to the aid of walls, gates, and bars, not only for the protection of cities and towns, but almost of every private building of any confequence. The island being unhappily divided into two diftinct independent kingdoms, by the river Tweed towards the eat, and by an imaginary line in the western part, jealoufy, interfering interefts, national pride, and ambition, often were the caufes of fierce and bloody battles between the two rival nations. The open country was foon over-run, while villages and unwalled towns fell an eafy prey. Newcastle, by its trade and encreasing commercial confequence, being fituated near the northern borders of the kingdom, it

was

was judged a part of political wifdom to make it a powerful barrier against the incurfions of the Scots, a formidable enemy that the English had long to contend with.

At fo early a period, therefore, as in the reign of William Rufus, Hardying, in his Chronicle, informs us, that Newcastle upon Tyne was inclofed with a wall. It was built of ftone, of great heighth and thickness, and for many ages was undoubtedly of great ftrength. As a proof of this, we have only to obferve, that, although the northern counties were often invaded, and even over-run, by the Scots, yet they were feldom able, during the courfe of a century, to make themfelves mafters of Newcastle. It had feveral gates, wonderfully ftrong and massive; and was ftrengthened with towers and fquare turrets, which we will notice in their order. The wall was furrounded by a fofs or ditch on the land fide, which in fome places is ftill visible, as on the outside of the wall that furrounds the Carliol Croft; but in most places it is at present level with the adjoining ground. The space, however, which it occupied, is ftill called the "King's Dykes." It appears to have been uniformly twenty-two feet, or a chain, in width. It is claimed as the property of the corporation, to whom every waste within their jurifdiction devolves, by the authority of their charter.

King John, who refided frequently in Newcastle, was a great benefactor to it, as he not only affifted the townsmen to ftrengthen their walls, but gave them charters for working coal, and for other articles of commerce. In the year 1299, during the reign of Edward I. a grant was obtained from that prince, to unite Pampedon, or Pandon, with Newcastle.

King Edward III. granted the cuftom of goods fold at Newcastle upon Tyne for seven years, to contribute towards the reparation of the walls. The fame king alfo repaired them during his refidence here, anno 1334.

In the feveral fubfequent reigns, grants for repairing the walls were obtained.

On the 17th of November, 1762, the corporation of Newcastle upon Tyne, having stated in a petition to government, that that part of the town wall, which extended from the Sand-hill to Sandgate, was no longer neceffary, nor of any ufe for defence, but a great obftruction to carriages, and hindrance to the dispatch of business, obtained an order of the privycouncil to remove it, but at their own cost.

TOWERS AND GATES.

When the walls had been completed, the town was divided into twenty-four wards, according to the number of gates and round towers in them, which were wont to be defended, in times of hoftility, by their particular warders. The names of the towers

At this period, fo remote from the time of the building thefe towers, and when fome of them have decayed through age, and others converted to places of public meetings for the different companies of freemen, it is unneceffary, and unentertaining, to give detailed accounts refpecting them. We shall only take notice of fome of the most remarkable.

There was a turret, or tower, fifty-two yards to the fouth of the Close Gate, adjoining to the river Tyne. The Close Gate, after the fall of the bridge, in 1771, was converted into a temporary prifon, but was lately taken down, by which the ftreet is much more commodious for the paffage of large waggons, and other carriages, though yet far too narrow.

From the Clofe Gate, there are one hundred and forty steps, on the top of the wall, as it afcends a very steep hill to White-Friar Tower, at the distance of fixty-nine yards. The common name of these is Break-neck Stairs, and is of very obvious etymology.

White-Friar Tower had its name from its vicinity to the houfe of the Carmelites, or White Friars. The fraternity of masons had their hall in the upper apartment of this tower; in the lower one was the meeting-house of bricklayers and meters. From the White-Friar Tower to the Poftern Gate is two hundred and fourteen yards.

It is fuppofed by Bourne, that it was from this gate, in the reign of Edward III. that three hundred valiant townsmen fallied forth fuddenly, in the night, upon a great army of Scots, who then lay encamped, befieging the town, put them to flight, and took earl Murray prisoner in his tent.

Next follows Spital Tower, from its vicinity to Weft Spital, fuppofed by Bourne to have been built by the mafter and brethren of that hofpital, for their protection.

Then we fucceffively come to Stank Tower, Gunner Tower, and Pink Tower, and from thence to the Weft Gate. The three first having nothing remarkable to recommend them to attention, we shall omit further notice of them,

Weft Gate is still one of thofe ftrong entrances through the town wall. It had been, in former times, fecured with maffive gates, of oak beams, and iron doors. Through this lay the track of the Roman wall. This gate confifts of four wards, and is faid to have been built by Roger de Thornton,* a merchant, who, from very fmall beginnings, became equally diftinguished for his wealth and munificence. This place was formerly a prifon for unruly apprentices, and is at prefent the hall of the housecarpenters. In the year 1782, a foot-way was opened on the north fide of this gate.

The hiftorian Leland calls this gate "a mighty ftrong thing, of four wards, and an iron gate."

The next on the walls, from the West Gate, is Durham Tower, and the distance between them measures one hundred and one yards.

That next in order is Herber Tower; from thence to Morden Tower is one hundred and fifteen yards. This, in the year 1700, was fitted up as a meeting

F 2

The little wits of thofe times, envying his good fortune, pleased the less opulent, or probably lefs industrious neighbours of Mr. Thornton, with the following farcaftic diftich:

"At the West Gate came Thornton in,

"With a hap, and a halfpenny, and a lamb-skin.”