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watergate, the wall which from this point had its foot washed at 
high tide, makes a bend to the northward, and reaches the West 
gate, very strongly defended with grooves for two portcullises and 
six holes in the roof for pouring molten lead and other weapons 
on foes. 
The wall from this gate is of great height and of very peculiar 
construction. By the kindness of Madame Maes, of Westgate 
house, the party were allowed to ascend to the summit of the wall 
in her grounds, and to mount the towers. Two 15th century 
guard-rooms with walk on the battlements of the walls are still 
intact, and most interesting to archzologists. The lofty tower 
over the west gate is let off as a tenement, and the wall for some 
distance to the north of it is plastered over, pierced for windows, 
and forms the fagade of a modern hotel. To the north of this 
the wall is built on arches, 19 in number, very ancient houses 
forming the inner wall. Turning into a narrow postern at the 
fourth arcade, immediately to the right stands a perfect Norman 
house with double windows, purchased by a gentleman two years 
ago and beautifully restored. This is supposed to have been the 
palace of the Norman kings. Walking up a narrow lane to a 
square the most interesting church of the borough is reached, 
dedicated to S. Michael. The nave and spire are modern, but 
the tower is supported by four Norman arches, a part of the 
ancient cruciform church. Over the westward arch facing the 
nave three arches appear on the surface of the wall, whether 
structural or subsequently wrought on the plain surface has not 
been satisfactorily determined. In this church is a fine specimen 
of the rare black marble fonts, of which only six are known in 
the country. The best known is that in Winchester Cathedral, 
bearing the life of S, Nicholas of Myra, in Lycia. Another, 
evidently sculptured by the same artist, is at East Meon, near 
Petersfield, and some fragments of this having been chemically 
tested by acids, effervesced strongly, and proved that the black 
stone was not basalt, as had been generally supposed, but lime- 
