A VILLAGE BY THE SEA 195 



their own. Even the old ruins of the castle produce 

 plants which would be sought for in vain elsewhere. 

 Every spring the grey walls are gay with the pale 

 yellow blossoms of the wild wallflower, which grows 

 in profusion all over the Roman masonry. Later on 

 the deep red flowers of the spur valerian make a fine 

 show on the top of the broken battlements. A few 

 noble spikes of the great yellow mullein will also be 

 seen here and there among the ruins. The dark 

 sword-shaped leaves of the Iris fatidissima shoot up 

 abundantly beneath the shelter of the Roman wall, 

 and in winter the beautiful scarlet seeds are very 

 conspicuous. A few plants of the common balm may 

 perhaps be noticed on one spot, survivals of the old 

 monastic herb-garden. For a monastery once existed 

 within the castle walls. The buildings have dis- 

 appeared, but the priory church remains, and the 

 cloisters may yet be traced. Moreover, one plant still 

 flourishes which is probably to be attributed to the 

 days of the Austin canons. A large patch of " common 

 alexanders " puts up year by year its smooth, shining, 

 pale green foliage. The plant was formerly a famous 

 pot-herb, known from the colour of its roots as the "black 

 pot-herb," and is still found beneath old priory walls. 



It is curious how some plants seem to love the 

 neighbourhood of churchyards. Such a species is the 

 wild sage or clary, a labiate plant, from one to two feet 

 high, and carrying in a spike whorls of dark blue 

 flowers. It is common in our churchyard, but not 

 a plant is to be found outside the walls. In former 

 years it appears to have been the custom to plant 

 the wild sage, which was supposed to possess many 

 virtues, in churchyards. At any rate, it is worthy of 

 notice that Pepys, when on his travels in this part 



