Chap. VIIT.
BRITAIN.
333
At the ness end or north-east point of the wall to the sea, it finished with an acute angle,rising on the brow of lofty rocks ; the foundation has of late years wasted by the washing
HARBOUR
Fig. 331.
of the waves, and that part of the w r all has now fallen ; it was exactly similar to the ness orpoint of the Roman wall, opposite to the castle at Carlisle. The whole of the wall is muchbroken for a considerable distance from the sea. At about twenty paces are the remains of asquare bastion; from thence about forty paces is a round bastion, projecting from the wall,about two-thirds of a circle, in girth nearly 30 feet: in the front of the bastion, at the dis-tance of about 5 yards, is a high ridge of earth, probably cast up by assailants. l'rom thesecond bastion, at about 40 paces, is a square bastion, about 10 feet in front, and projectingabout 7 feet from the line of the wall; from thence, at 46 paces, is a second bastion some-what larger than that before mentioned, making a projection of about 10 feet, not so pro-minent as the others. In all the portion described, the wall forms a straight line, theground gradually inclines, and falls from the edge of the cliffs; "where the wall begins at adistance of 30 paces, it forms an obtuse angle, guarded with a turret or bastion, fromwhence is a kind of horn work, projecting into the field for a considerable distance, of anangular figure, having two terraces, one above another, with the remains of the glacis, themason’s work appearing through the broken turf; from whence there is an extensive pro-spect of the sea and coast towards Sunderland, commanding Hawthorn Hive, or the BeaconPoint, Essington, Elwich beacon, and a long tract of country. Thirteen paces from the angle,there is the appearance of a sally-port; but the wall has been repaired and altered inmodern times, so that it is not possible to ascertain more concerning it. At the distance ofabout 60 paces is a round bastion, and 80 paces further, the great Land gate, the chiefentrance of the town from Durham , opening upon a road, formed over a level marsh,easily broken up or flooded in a siege. This gate seems to have been strengthened by a wetditch, and probably a drawbridge.
The whole wall, towers, and gateways are of excellent masonry, built of limestone, of sosoft; a nature in the bed or quarry, that it may be squared with an adze, but when exposedto the air becomes remarkably hard and durable: the arch of the gateway is ribbed, andbesides double gates had a portcullis ; the width of the passage is 10 feet, and^of the wholegateway tower about 30 feet; the projection is not much above a foot from the face of thewall; it appears to have had a strong tower for its superstructure, entered at each side fromthe parapet of the wall. The approach to the town from this gate was by .the side of thehaven, "which must have made a fine appearance ; as the basin, if we may judge from the