OLD HOUSES OF DERBY. 29 



the roofs was usually poured from projecting spouts, directly on 

 to the street below. We venture, however, to hazard another 

 conjecture, to account for this peculiar characteristic of old 

 houses, which dates very far back into remote antiquity, viz., 

 that when the necessity for building houses on piles, on the 

 margins of lakes, had passed away, the fashion was still con- 

 tinued, and is an indication of the rude life of former ages, 

 just as we know that dogs show their original wild and 

 undomesticated condition by turning themselves round several 

 times before they lie down. Whether this hypothesis has any 

 ground or not, there can be no doubt that many of these old 

 houses give one the idea of a house placed on stilts. We have 

 called attention to this singular characteristic to ascertain, if 

 possible, from those better acquainted with such matters its true 

 reason ; and also because it will not fail to have been noticed, 

 that all the oldest houses of which illustrations have been given, 

 show this peculiar appearance of being over-built in their upper 

 stories, more especially so in the lath-and-plaster houses of 

 Amen Alley and St. Peter's Street. 



The building of half-timbered houses of both kinds appears 

 to have ceased about the reign of James I., when the use of 

 bricks for building purposes became general. We may, there- 

 fore, conclude that the two half-timbered houses on Plate II. 

 are of the 15th century and 16th century. 



The fine half-timbered house in the occupation of Mr. Gadsby, 

 hidden behind his house in Tenant Street, is very interesting, 

 because it has been but little altered. We were told that the 

 date of this house had been seen by several persons on the leads ; 

 but after making a careful search no such date could be found, 

 and after making inquiries from the owner of the property, T. W. 

 Evans, Esq., of Allestree, and of others who were thought likely 

 to know something about it, we have had to give up all idea of 

 arriving at the correct date. There is, however, in Parker's Glos- 

 sary, Plate XLVL, Third Edition, an engraving of a house, 

 formerly standing at Leicester, called King Richard's house, 

 there being a story attached to it, to the effect that he slept there 



