other sides the ground, though not so precipitous, rises more or less from the general level of the surrounding marsh.
The general thickness of the walls is about 12 feet; their height ranges between 24 and 30 feet, and, wherever they remain standing, which is the case throughout about two-thirds of the entire circuit, they retain their original altitude, and present in fact (ivy and occasional scars in the masonry excepted) very much the same appearance as they must have done in the days of Constantine.[1] They are supported and strengthened at irregular intervals by solid buttress towers of peculiar plan, approximating to a semi-circle attached to a square, and of equal height with the intervening walls. They differ somewhat in size, but taking the average of the eleven now standing, they measure (inclusive of the thickness of the wall), 30 feet in depth, by 20 feet in width. They everywhere stand singly, except at the principal entrance on the west, which is flanked by a pair, not only for additional dignity, but also for strength, which seems from the frequency of the occurrence of towers here to have been specially cared for in this part.
The material of the walls is flint, with sea-sand mortar of great strength. The facing is of small squared sand-stones running in regular courses, and ornamented and strengthened at intervals with bonding courses of red tiles; while the joints of the masonry are pointed with mortar, having for one of its ingredients pounded tile, which imparts to it that red tint so characteristic of Roman work. In some places the bonding-courses of tile are only two in number, in others three, while occasionally the deficiency is supplied by another material, a dark brown flag stone. At the tower marked G in the plan, and there only, the tile courses are four in number. The use of tile throughout the whole structure is much more sparingly introduced than at Dover, Richborough, Lymne, and other places. From some excavations carried on in the year 1710, for the purpose of supplying the town of Pevensey with water from the moat of the interior or medieval castle by a channel
- ↑ In a paper on Pevensey Castle, by Mr. Wright, in the Gentleman's Magazine for August, 1852, that accomplished antiquary remarks: "The Roman masonry is wonderfully perfect; although it has been exposed to the changes of the great part of two thousand years, the mark of the trowel is still visible on the mortar, and many of the facing stones look as fresh as if they had been cut yesterday."
