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one, or as part of one, of these stands the Oratory. The other 
two piers are angular forming cutwaters in the usual way, the 
outer or southern being carried up forms the side of the gateway, 
whilst the other towards the middle of the river has its base 
levelled as a standing or refuge for any one unfortunate enough 
to require it. There seems however to be something wrong, as it 
is apparent that the Oratory here is in the centre of the rise or 
are of a bridge of four arches, the land on the north forming one 
end, the gateway on the south the other. The southern or fifth 
arch too is shown somewhat flatter than the others. Hereby one 
difficulty is removed as it may be judged that in the place of this 
fifth arch in the olden time was the drawbridge ; without such a 
protection the gate would have been of but little use. On the 
shore can be seen one of the two stone carvings, either the lion 
or the bear ; the other is hidden by a tree. 
Taking next the West View, or view of the Western side, 
another difficulty occurs. Here the piers having no water 
resistance, are all flat, but it must be noticed that the rise of the 
bridge is much less and the centre is now on the middle arch, the 
extra or fifth arch outside the gate being as good and as round as 
the others. Perhaps the break in the other view caused by the 
Oratory may have deceived the eye. Both the lion and the bear 
are seen distinctly in situ. The large doors in the gateway are 
also well shown. On both sides, the parapet looks to be quite a 
distinct addition hardly incorporated with the substructure. The 
front of the Oratory shows some indented or sunken carvings of 
armorials, unfortunately not clear enough for definition, but 
beyond this no special architectural detail. is visible. At the time 
the drawings were made, the minute study of architecture to 
which we are accustomed had not arisen, so that the draughtsman 
here, even if he could have done so, may not have cared to 
record so small a matter as an heraldic bearing. After this 
examination and generally, the judgment is that this bridge as 
seen, excepting the gateway, is a late fifteenth or even an early 
