The times., 1899-12-03

for her, and there is one of rather un-
tidy person IN a hammock slung under an
! apple tree. Under the boughs of the
| olossoming apple tree the red gables and
points Of the town OF Rye are wonderfully
painted in. Here, at the top of the hill
that is reached by the road that winds
up from the sea, is the little rest home
that is banked by forti6cations, which are
now covered with vines. The old Roman
tower under which the road passes rests
partly on Miss Terry's land. She has the
key and owns at least half of one of the
Oldest structures in England
The early history of this vine-covered
relic has been entirely lost except that
which is written In its structure. Old books
say il was built in feudal times, but the
old writer's failed to notice that the two
towers with the arch between are built OF
/ the water rounded stones that came from
the seashore, and in this respect resemble
the Irish and Welsh eTections Of Druidical
eras. The general shape is partly Norman,
but also Roman. and il was evidently built
by some one who knew the shape of the
Roman arch but could not build it in the
proper way. Consequently the upper part
of the arch fell in course of time, and the
mending Of it tells its own story. The
stone used TO repair the ancient fortifca-
tion is cut to exactly the same size as the
which were built by the Crusaders. This
/ Crusade architecture with its square cut
stones, is found all through the East, and
always marks the era. AS the Crusades
did not take place till after the Norman
Conquest, il is evident that it was not until
a part Of this immensely powerful affair
began to fall probably centuries after its
construction that it was patched with
stone of the Crusade era, The towers lack
he
old water rounded stones from the shore
tell their tale. The structure therefore
holds suggestions that it was built under
the superintendence of a Roman general
who, after landing, wished to defend the
only road that led up the cone to the natu-
raj acropolis on top-by one, that is to say,
who knew the shape of the Roman arch,
but was not an architect.
Wbat You May See.
II anyone wishes 10 get to the top of the
Strand Gate (called so because its street
led to the shore below, he may apply at a
heavy oaken door now crumbling with age
and clinging loosely to its rusty irons
which opens from the outer roadway. He
will pull an old bobbin that hangs outside
This will ring an old monastic bell which
for centuries, while in Nuremberg, sent its
echoes through the cloisters of the holy
And then perhaps a maiden wearing the
nuns dress Of the time of Beckett maid
who was once called Fair Rosamund be-
fore she took the veil, Will descend in long
white robes and throw wide the gate for
entry.
And perhaps she won't.
But if she does, don't bother about going
up in the tower, where a nasty snake has
made its abode, but ask her TO show you
the garden and the view that TennysOn
loved. In this strip of land inside the wall
at the top Of the cliff the gardener is not
allowed TO introduce his par8lleOgram
monstrosities, and the flowers reach out
their greetings in their own way. The
walls of the cottage have been widely
glazed so that those who are at dinner
or reading inside may have the whole
view
And what view, A good part Of the
history of England lies In front of these
windows In these shoals which IN those
days were nearer, the Romans fought their
way ashore. Close by, at Pevensey, Will
liam the Conqueror brough ashore his
hordes OF brigands barons. adventurers
and religious fanatics who subsequently,
peopled England. Three miles away but
IN the foreground of the view, is the huge
fortress built by Henry VII. which the
monasteries unwillingly paid Tor, 10 the
tune OF &23,000, building that never had
any uses except 10 provide homes for bats
From this distance it looks like mud col
ored bandbOX, with four sections OF band
box eqnidistant the outside. These four
outer towers are joined to the inside keep
by high curtains, as they are called in
the old books. Five miles 10 the left is