NORWICH CASTLE AS A MUSEUM. 697 



arches of stone support the roof which now encloses the keep, partly 

 slated and partly glazed to light the interior. The pillars and arches 

 supporting the roof are placed in accordance with the original 

 disposition of the roof, " visible marks of the strong partition-wall 

 running across from west to east " having existed prior to the 

 erection of the new roof (King, Archasol., vol. iv., p. 403, 1776). 

 Mr. Boardman also discovered (after the removal of eight feet of soil 

 from the interior of the keep) the lower part of the ancient central wall, 

 six and a-half feet in thickness, which ran from east to west and divided 

 the keep into two equal parts. In the northern division he had exposed 

 the foundations of four stone columns which formerly supported the 

 arches or vaulting forming the main floor of the keep. The spiral stairs 

 in three of the four angles remain, and one of them gives access to the 

 roof, from which a grand panorama of the city and the country far 

 and wide can be obtained ; while, by descending, we reach the 

 dungeons of the keep and the castle well, about 120 ft. deep, 

 excavated in the chalk. 



The keep will probably be devoted to the exhibition of the Ethno- 

 logical collections and local antiquities, in which latter the Norfolk 

 and Norwich Museum is very rich. Abundant floor-space will also 

 be afforded for the holding of soirees and other scientific gatherings. 

 The small room (leading from the keep to Room A) will, it is 

 proposed, be devoted to the exhibition of Mr. Robert Fitch's collec- 

 tion (partly antiquities, and partly consisting of fossils, from the 

 immediate vicinity of Norwich) recently presented to the Museum. ^ 



The fine top-lighted Gallery A will probably be devoted to the 

 exhibition of the geological collections, including the famous mam- 

 malian fossil remains, presented by the late Mr. John Gunn, from the 

 Norfolk Forest Bed series. Gallery B will probably be devoted to 

 the collections of recent Invertebrata (Insecta, Crustacea, MoUusca, 

 Corals, &c.), and will also contain the Pisces and Reptilia. 



Here the Picture Gallery (Room C) intervenes, but it has been 

 suggested by the architect that a fine connecting corridor may be 

 made in the rear of Block C, so that the Natural History student may 

 pass on to Gallery D, and take up the continuous arrangement of 

 the zoological collection without passing through the Picture Gallery. 

 This room (D) will probably be dedicated to the stuffed specimens 

 of recent Mammalia and their skeletons, and to other zoological 

 specimens. 



It has been suggested by Dr. Sclater that Gallery E should be 

 entirely devoted to the magnificent and imique collection of Raptorial 

 Birds formed by the late Mr. John Henry Gurney, and in order that 

 the whole series may be placed in one room, a light iron gallery is to 

 be constructed around this pavilion, which will thus afford greatly 

 increased space for wall-cases, and enable all the specimens to be 

 well seen and properly arranged. 



"' Mr. Fitch also gives /300 to provide exhibition cases for his collection. 



