THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY &* NATURALIST. 



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aided by Mr. E. Cooper Poole, architect, windows 

 which had long been blocked up with stone were 

 made once more to let in the light of day, damaged 

 portions were repaired, whilst inside the 

 unsightly whitewash was cleaned off the beams 

 of the roof and walls. The round headed Norman 

 doorway in Blue Anchor Lane has also been opened. 

 There are three two light windows, with central shaft, 

 from the carved capital of which spring the small 

 semi-circular arches. The southern one of the solar 

 was nearly in a perfect state, but built up. The 

 companion window to the north was utterly destroyed 

 except the turnings ot the arch on the head of the 

 window. As it was the custom of the Norman builders 

 not to carve two capitals exactly alike, Mr. Dymond 

 gave instructions that the sculpture of this window 

 should not be copied from the adjoining window, but 

 from the window overlooking the lane. Inside, the 

 windows open into very deep arched recesses, the 

 rear arches of which possess a fine Norman moulding ( 

 fortunately preserved in the two windows facing the 

 quay. The similar two light window facing the lane 

 probably lighted a short corridor which communicated 

 between the great hall (the part where the ancient fire- 

 place is, now open to the sky) and the solar or with- 

 drawing room ; the inner arch of this window is not 

 moulded like the others. A recess has now been 

 made in the corner to bring this window into the 

 room. In removing the stones with which the 

 windows were blocked up some of the ancient sup- 

 ports of the casements were found, and these 

 have been utilised in the windows now put in, which 

 are appropriately glazed in diamond pattern. The 

 restoration also brought to light a cupboard in the 

 north wall of the solar. The basement under the 

 great hall was lighted by a beautiful little window, 

 which was quite built up. It has now been opened. 

 The roof of this interesting building, which is of 

 chesnut, is confidently pronounced by Mr. Dymond 

 and other antiquaries to be the original roof, but some 

 of the party were of opinion that it is of a later age. 

 The walls in ancient days no doubt hung with 

 tapestry were now covered with canvas, on which 

 were suspended some copies of the famous Bayeux 

 tapestry. There is not, Mr. Shore said, another 

 place in England where one can see so good a 

 specimen of Norman domestic building. It dates from 

 the time of Henry I, and, though the tradition that it 

 was King John's Palace was only first recorded in Sir 

 H. Englefield's time, Mr. Shore thought it was handed 

 down from six centuries ago and that it 

 was borne out by history, and he quoted 

 some documents in support of this. Thus in 

 1207 King John ordered the royal hall in Southampton 

 to be repaired by the bailiffs of the town. 

 And from the itinerary of King John we learn that 

 he visited Southampton on many different occasions. 

 In 1204 he was here on April 7 and 8, and again on 

 May 15 ; he was also here on the following dates : 

 1205, January 28 to 29, and February 2 ; 1206, April 



10 to 13, and May 20 ; 1207, July 6 ; 1208, March 23 

 to 25, March 31, and May 28 to 29 ; 1209, May 22 to 

 23 ; 1213, March 21 ; 1214, January 17 to 19, and 

 January 30 ; and 1215, January 30. From the Close 

 Rolls of Henry III it appeared that Henry in 1222 

 addressed the bailiffs ot Southampton, and ordered 

 them " to repair our quay at Southampton and to take 

 care that our quay in front of our house suffers no 

 harm." In 1224 the same bailiffs were ordered to 

 repair the doors in other parts of the palace. It seemed 

 to have remained a palace till in 1338 the French 

 burnt and looted Southampton. After that date it 

 would have been deserted as a royal residence and 

 converted into a defensive place by the piers and 

 arches outside, some of which come across the double 

 Norman windows mentioned above. Mr. W. Dale 

 mentioned that King Henry I, when he lost his son 

 in the White Ship, himself reached Southampton in 

 another ship, and learnt of the death of his son, possi- 

 bly in this very building, in November, 1120. 



By the kind thoughtfulness of Mr. Spranger, tea 

 was provided for the visitors in the upstair room of 

 this interesting old building, and whilst some cf the 

 party refreshed the inner man, others went off to visit 

 the large vault in the wall on the Western Shore, 

 which, since its visit by the Club some four or five 

 years ago, has been made available for inspection by 

 a gate in the window previously blocked up with 

 stones and mortar. This vault was lighted by candles 

 arranged around the walls, the effect being very im- 

 pressive. Thanks were expressed to the Borough 

 Surveyor for opening the vault, and a hope was added 

 that the Corporation would open the ancient doorway 

 on the level of the beach, to enable the public to enter 

 this very interesting Norman building. 



The indebtedness of the Field Club and of anti- 

 quarians generally to Mr. Spranger and to Mr. 

 Dymond, for the effective way in which they had 

 restored the Norman house was expressed by Pro- 

 fessor Notter, in the absence of the President, who 

 sent his regrets at being prevented from 

 moving a vote of thanks personally. The 

 vote of thanks was seconded by the 

 Rev. G. W. Minns, and carried unanimously. 

 Mr. Dymond expressed his regret that there was not 

 time sufficient for the party to examine the Norman 

 house on the north side of the lane. It is not quite so 

 large, but, in many respects, quite as interesting. 

 One room has a fine carved chimney piece ; the room 

 is pannelled and carved, of the time of Elizabeth or 

 James. There is a good timber roof and entrance on 

 the battlemented ramparts, which is in a perfect 

 state. In the ancient cellar, which is as old as the 

 other parts of the house, is an interesting stone niche 

 in one'of the walls. Mrs. Penny, the tenant, is very 

 civil in showing the objects of interest to visitors. 



We hope that Mr. Spranger may be induced to in- 

 crease the indebtedness of antiquarians to him by 

 covering in the ancient fire-place which is now ex- 

 posed to the destructive agency ot wind and weather. 



