name is evidently derived from Bertram Mowboucher, who was repeatedly high fheriff of Northumberland. The names of public benefactors are juftly perpetuated, and defervedly and gratefully remembered.

The next is Ficket Tower, and measures, from the last mentioned, one hundred and thirty-two yards. This tower has nothing remarkable to claim our notice.

The next worthy of mention is Pilgrim-ftreet Gate, and the diftance from Ficket Tower is 137 yards. This being one of the most public gates of the town, towards the north, and from whence the greatest danger generally came, was, accordingly, ftrongly fortified. As dividing one of the moft fpacious and longest streets of Newcastle, the view of this gate has an unpleafing effect, for as trade and bufinefs increased, large carriages, waggons, &c. find it very difficult to pafs. It is remarkable, that the inhabitants of this ftreet, fome years fince, petitioned the town-council for liberty to pull down the gate, which, it feems, was refufed. Since then the inhabitants of Pilgrim and Northumberland streets have been applied to by the magiftrates to remove the fame gate, and defray the expence, but they, on their part, refufed to comply with thefe proposals. It was called, fays Bourne, Pilgrim-ftreet, from the great number of pilgrims, who, in the days of fuperftition, lodged in this street, coming from every part of the kingdom to vifit the fhrine of the Virgin Mary at Jefmond. Over the gate is the hall of the joiners, who repaired it in the year 1716.

Next is Carliol Tower. From Pilgrim-street gate to this tower is one hundred and fifty-seven yards. Three

Three fmaller ones intervene between these two large towers. Here is the weavers' hall.

The next is Auftin Tower. This was built by the friars of St. Auguftine, and the order went by that name. It seems to have been erected in the reign of Edward I. The hall is the meeting houfe of the mafons' fociety. From Carliol Tower to Auftín Tower is one hundred and fifty-feven yards.

The next is Corner Tower. The distance from Auftin Tower to Corner Tower is one hundred and thirty-two yards. From this laft to Pandon Gate is ninety-five yards, From Pandon Gate to the Carpenter's, or Wall Knoll Tower, is ninety-five yards. This was evidently of Roman architecture, as the Roman wall ran crofs here, by the Low-bridge, St. Nicholas' church-yard, and through Westgate, &c. as has been already observed.

From Carpenter's Tower to Sand-Gate is the dif tance of two hundred and thirty-two yards. It was at this gate that the east end of a strong wall, which ran parallel with the river Tyne, joined to Sandgate, and formed an angle. That gate was taken down in the year 1798, by order of the magiftrates, to widen the street, which, on account of the vast number of carriages, was exceedingly inconvenient and dangerous to foot paffengers. The wall along the Quayfide had many gates, oppofite to the several chares, or lanes, leading into the town. These gates were very strong, and were all shut every night, excepting two, which were left open for feamen, keel. men, &c. and these were well guarded.

It was observed by Mr Milbank, in the MSS which he left, that between each of these large towers there were generally two leffer ones, of a fquare form, with

the

the effigies of men cut in ftone upon their tops, as in a watching posture, and they were called Garrets, having fquare holes, or apertures, through which to discharge arrows, ftones, and other miffiles, at a befieging enemy.

Such is a general account of the once famous walls, inclosing the town and county of Newcastle upon Tyne, being about two miles in length. Leland, in his Itinerary, fays, they were the strongest and most magnificent of almoft any in Europe. This is poffibly faying too much; but, from what remains of them any way entire, they must have been exceedingly ftrong, and perfectly capable of fetting at defiance any enemy, before the invention of artillery. They were at once the ornament and security of the town. The eye of the antiquary furveys them with complacency: the architect applauds the maffive ftones, compact cement, iron cramps, folid and ftrong gates, portcullifes of iron, &c. that have once compofed this mighty barrier. Curiofity views the majestic ruins with delight, whilft the delicate valetudinary, panting for breath, reprobates them, as obftructing the more free circulation of the ambient air. The man of business wishes them level with the ground, as hindering the paffage of his waggons, transporting valuable bales of goods from one part of the island to another. But, fome centuries ago, had they then lived within their bounds, had they seen the adjacent fields gleaming with hoftile arms, while maffes of stone, arrows, and other weapons of deftruction, in vain were hurled at their gates, and the daring invaders repelled by the courage and refolution of the wardours of the refpective towers; they would have viewed thefe noble efforts of patriotic

art

art and industry, with fentiments very contrary to those of indifference, or of contempt. But, alas! fince the invention of artillery, the fashion of the fight (as the poet fays) has altered the whole theory of war: and these once mighty walls, which two hundred thousand befieging warriors could not make themselves masters of in the courfe of many months, half a dozen battering cannon, of thirty-two pound fhot, would drive to dust in a few hours. The use, therefore, of fortifying towns and cities with ftone walls, is now, in general, unavailing. Scarcely any fortification on earth is impregnable, if we except Malta, which engineers affure us is completely fo. That the gentlemen, who at prefent direct the affairs of the corporation, judge the existence of the town walls to be no longer neceffary, appears evident, as from time to time they are still diminishing them. Now a gate is pulled down, then the wall perforated by fome new paffage. At this moment workmen are busy in striking through a large paffage for carriages, half way between the Carpenter's Tower and where Pandon Gate once flood. Such changes are incident to all human affairs! Omnia mutantur, et nos mutamur cum illis! All things change, and we are changed with them!

HOUSES.

In the year 1781, by the window-cefs books, it appears, that there were, in the four parishes of Newcastle, two thousand three hundred and eightynine houses; but it is to be confidered, that a great many of these were marked as " poor," and were not taken into this general account.

If this account was accurate, we may warrantably fay, that by the numerous buildings, all around the town, the number of houses is vastly encreafed in these twenty years past.

POPULATION.

In confequence of an act of parliament paffed in the feffion of 1801, for taking an exact enumeration of the inhabitants of Great Britain, the following returns have been made for Newcastle and Gatef head: