146 



Many respectable inhabitants of this city beg leave to express 

 their thanks to Mr, Clutterbuck for generously giving up his property 

 in Westgate House on such moderate terms for the advantage of the 

 City : — but would esteem it an addition to the obligation, if he would 

 direct it to be pulled down as soon as possible, as it becomes every 

 day not only more and more inconvenient but even dangerous. 



I have spoken of royal visitors lodging in apartments over this 

 gate, and the existence of such accommodation is evident from the 

 view. Hence the structure came to be called Westgate House. 

 Again, on February 7th, we read — 



The Printer has Mr. Clutterbuck's authority to assure the Citizens 

 (in answer to a paragraph inserted in his last paper) that the pulling 

 down of Westgate House will be immediately set about, that nothing 

 but the impossibility of doing any kind of business during the late 

 very inclement season has prevented so great a nuisance being before 

 removed. 



We have a note of the progress of the demolition in the follow- 

 ing paragraph dated June 12th : — 



On Saturday last a stone was dug out of the foundation of West- 

 gate House, 2ft. Sin. long, with the following inscription on it, an 

 explanation of which is requested : — 



A E S V V 

 E " C A N 

 I E N 

 D M 



In the same paper, strangely enough, is recorded the death of 

 Mr. Clutterbuck, Town Clerk. 



Leland and Guidott and Camden describe in detail, and in some 

 cases illustrate, the Latin inscriptions and sculptures which had 

 been built into the walls in their times These were in time 

 gradually removed or effaced, when there was no Eoyal Institution 

 to give them shelter, and I believe that not one of the stones 

 described by these writers is now known to exist. 



I have however come across a description of the walls written 

 At a much later date, and it may be interesting as showing their 



