King Edward III. granted the custom 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 several 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 Sand gate, 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 coft.

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 these 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 respecting them. We shall only take notice of fome of the most remarkable.

There was a turret, or tower, fifty-two yards to the south of the Clofe Gate, adjoining to the river Tyne. The Clofe 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 fteps, 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 house of the Carmelites, or White Friars. The fraternity of mafons 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 prifoner in his tent.

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

Then we fucceffively come to Stank Tower, Gunner Tower, and Pink Tower, and from thence to the West 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 distinguished for his wealth and munificence. This place was formerly a prifon for unruly apprentices, and is at present the hall of the houfecarpenters. 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 Weft 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

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

"At the Weft Gate came Thornton in,

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

meeting-house, or hall, for the glaziers, plumbers, pewterers, and painters.

We then come to Ever Tower, and the intervening distance is ninety-nine yards.

The next on the walls is Andrew Tower, and the distance from Ever Tower is one hundred yards. It probably derived its name from its vicinity to St. Andrew's church.

The next tower was built over New-yate, or Newgate. This has been one of the principal paffages through the walls, and in confequence ftrongly for tified. It probably derived the name of New-gate from its being built on the fite of an old one, which appears to have been called Berwick-gate. There is fome rude fculpture on the north fide of the gate; there are alfo three ancient fhields of arms,-St. George's cross-arms of England, with the fleurs de lis femee--and the Newcastle arms.

A French antiquary, Troiffart, tells us, that the bishop of Durham, going with a strong body of troops to join the English army then marching against the Scots, when a bloody battle was fought at Otterburn, iffued out of Newcastle at Berwick-gate, now Newgate. This memorable battle was fought in the year 1388.

There is a ftatue over the gate, in royal attire, with a truncheon or fceptre in its hand, and a crown upon its head; it is within a niche, or arch, of Roman architecture, and is fuppofed to have been placed there in commemoration of James I. who paffed through Newcastle on his way to London, at his acceffion to the throne.

Here is the common prifon, which is very ftrong: the condemned hold is truly frightful. The amia

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ble philanthropist, Howard, difapproves of this prifon, both for its fituation and inconvenience; but applauds the benignity of the late worthy Sir Walter Blackett, out of the rents of whose ample estate this place of confinement is plentifully fupplied with coals. The names of the respective gaolers are uninterefling; fufficient is it to add, that they have in general been men of humanity and sympathy towards those who were configned to their care by the laws.

Mr. Brand obferves, that Newgate feems to have been built before Newcastle was made a county of itself, and took cuftody of its own prifoners, who, no doubt, before that time, were confined in the old caftle of the town, in common with other delinquents of the county of Northumberland. The additional wings or flanks, on each fide of the fouth front of this ftructure, appear to have been erected about the beginning of the last century: the portcullis of this gate still remains entire.

The common-council of Newcastle, in the year 1676, appointed a minifter to read prayers every Wednesday and Friday, and to preach a fermon to the unfortunate prifoners there once a month, granting, for fuch benevolent fervices, an annual falary of ten pounds.

In the year 1765, a foot-way was opened into Sidgate, on the east side of Newgate, through the town wall, for the convenience of the public; the paffage through Newgate being, efpecially in winter, dark, dangerous, and nasty.

The next place of ftrength to Newgate is Bertram-Mowboucher Tower; the distance between them is one hundred and twenty-fix yards. The

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