Dover, so renowned in the annals of Britain from its earliest records, for a succession of ages. The altitude of this structure is so great, as to be generally perceptible from the lowest lands on the French coast, and as far beyond as the eye can discern. Its dimensions, for it comprises within the area thirty-five acres of ground, whereof six are occupied by the ancient buildings, give the whole an appearance of a small city, with the citadel in its centre, and extensive fortifications encompassing its walls. The cliff or rock whereon it stands, is rugged and steep towards the town and harbour, but, in the direction of the sea, it displays a stupendous perpendicular precipice, upwards of 320 feet high, from the summit to the shore.

Whether Dover was first occupied by the Gauls, from the continent, or that the original settlers were of a more ancient origin, is an event buried in complete uncertainty. If we adopt the opinion, as probable, that some wandering tribes escaped from a disastrous struggle of unequal warfare, sought a resting place on this island; they would find at Dover, as it then existed, a most desirable retreat. Here, for instance, we may presume, they found a deep and secure bay for their vessels; a coast well covered with wood; and a fruitful valley abundantly supplied with water. Historical records, however, have handed down no certain information on this subject, until the expedition of Julius Cæsar, in the middle of the century preceding the Christian æra; at which period, on his attaining the coast, he found a numerous band of warriors marshalled on the cliffs to oppose his landing. The position taken by the Britons, and their formidable appearance, induced Cæsar to adopt the prudent resolution of hazarding his attempt at a place more easy of access, and less powerfully defended. The probability of the first settlers here having arrived from a more distant country than Gaul, is strengthened, owing to the surprise expressed by Cæsar, on observing their mode of warfare with chariots, which he remarks," possessed the swiftness of horse, and the stability of foot."

This mode not having been practised by the Germans or Gauls, it has puzzled antiquarian writers to conceive whence a rude people, having advanced no further in arts than to discover the mode of forming their boats of osiers, and covering them with raw hides of animals, could have acquired this art of managing

their war chariots. The only probable conjecture therefore is, that they may have been of Phoenician origin, derived from Judea; or, if the first settlers in Kent were of northern original, their leader might have introduced this practice.

The summit of the Castle hill at Dover, is formed by nature for a place of defence; the upper part may be considered a species of peninsula, as a deep valley exists on the south-west, and another to the north-east.

At the time of Cæsar's first arrival, the waves washed the foot of the perpendicular cliff fronting the sea, being, as previously remarked, about 320 feet above the level of low water mark.

The most extensive and remarkable fortifications remaining on this elevated situation, are very far from being of equal antiquity; and the monkish legend of Julius Cæsar having built a fortress here, is totally void of foundation. Some time previous to the 49th year of the Christian æra, Publius Ostorius Scapula, a Roman officer of consular dignity, built several forts in Britain, and this is said to be the first historical notice of Roman masonry in the kingdom, from which period we may date the commencement of Roman works as having existed on the Castle hill of Dover. The earliest fortification here was of no great dimension, but the groundwork and remaining ruins point out the hand of the Roman engineer and architect.

The area occupied an enclosure of about 400 feet in length, and 140 feet in its greatest width; which small fortress constituted the whole work of the Romans at this place, and it would be a loss of labour to search for any other within the walls of this castle. The Romans having determined on the conquest of Britain, incessantly crossed and recrossed the channel; and, as the mariners had frequently to approach the shore during the night, a pharos or lighthouse, near a commodious bay, of course became most essential. Being, therefore, of such importance, as regarded the safety of land forces, and merchants following this expedition, a structure of this description, we may naturally conjecture, was built within the fortress of Dover castle, upon a similar plan with that at Boulogne. It is a singular fact, which has for ages escaped the prying eye of the antiquary, that the Roman masons built these walls with a stalactical concretion, instead of stone. It was formed under water, and they cut it into small blocks, about a foot in length, and seven inches in

depth; but they were not all of equal dimensions. The walls are raised alternately by seven courses of these stalactical blocks, as well as two courses of tiles; the durability of the materials, and the workmanship, seeming to bid defiance to the hand of time as, during upwards of seventeen centuries and a half, there is no visible decay in the archway over the passage. On comparing this building with the edifice at Boulogne, it is found that both were constructed upon the same plan, and of similar materials.

This fortress at Dover may therefore be reasonably esteemed as one of the oldest remnants of masonry now remaining in the kingdom, and probably one of the first erected in Britain by the Romans. The use of the tophus, in building, was well known to the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, having been worked in the partition walls of many of their grandest edifices.

From the time of Cæsar to the reign of Dioclesian, northern adventurers uniformly infested the narrow seas, plundering on either side of the channel. To remedy this serious evil, which had been before partially attempted, Constantine the Great despatched several military officers, called Counts, known also by the title of Comites Augustules, being attendants at court, and companions of the emperor. Some of those dignitaries were commanders of provinces, others, governors of forts; one of whom was deputed to reside in Britain, whose ships and fortresses guarded the extent of coast from Denmark to Gaul; which line of territory was called the Saxon shore. The ensign of the counts of the Saxon shore represented an island having nine towns, the same being delineated on the cover of a book, which contained his instructions; of which nine towns, or stations, six at least are known to have existed in Kent. These arrangements proved effective in protecting the coast, till the time of Theodosius, father of Theodosius the Great, who then found it necessary, in 364, to strengthen those garrisons; between which time and 367, the first cohort was stationed at Dover, being upwards of 1100 strong, ranking conspicuous for valour and fidelity; claiming the highest post of honour, and the custody of the Imperial Eagle. While occupying this station, the Romans built a bath, near the stream of fresh water, in the valley, the foundations of which were discovered on the

site of St. Mary's church, where might be distinctly traced the ground-floors of four apartments, &c.

But, to return to the castle, as being of Roman origin: the foundations of the pharos or watchtower, previously mentioned, as built by Aulus Plautius and Publius Ostorius Scapula, are laid in a bed of clay, a usual practice with the Roman masons, and considered a criterion of their labours. The exterior shape is octagon, and the interior a square, the sides being each about fourteen feet in length, and the thickness of the walls, to the first floor, ten feet. Lapse of time has so materially impaired this structure, that it is impossible to determine its original height, which is now about forty feet.

The tiles are of the usual dimensions, and many of them cast in a peculiar mould, having grooves and projections corresponding with, and falling into each other, like a half dovetail, whereby they were rendered close and compact, similar to those which we observed in the celebrated Roman wall, on descending from Dym church to Romney marsh. Although we are in possession of no evidence that either the Romans or Saxons had. recourse to this tower as a fortification, it was unquestionably applied to a defensive purpose by the Normans. The introduction of their architecture, in effecting the necessary alterations, materially conduced to its present appearance, as the masonry on either side of the apertures, internally, greatly differs from the original style; while the openings at the base are considerably wider than those at the summit. These apertures, formerly intended to admit light, were subsequently converted into loopholes, and the outward arches contracted to a narrow slip, the ascent to which was by steps cut in the wall. The arch over the original entrance, about six feet wide, is still perfect, as before remarked, while the ruinous state of the other arches is owing to the idle curiosity of those who have detached fragments of the composition, in order to ascertain its solidity.

Mr. Lyon states that this structure was repaired and cased with flint in 1259; which covering is now falling to decay in several places, the original masonry being thereby exposed anew to the corroding influence of the elements.

A peal of bells was hung within this structure, when useless as a place of defence, which, through the influence of Sir George Rooke, were afterwards removed to Portsmouth, that borough

having returned him its member to sit in the House of Com

mons.

Subsequent to the above period, the board of ordnance disposed of the lead which covered this ancient structure; thus leaving one of the first specimens of Roman architecture in this island, to moulder away, being exposed to the violence of every wintery tempest.

The body and tower of the church now constitute the only remaining buildings within the area of the Roman fortification; and, although of a more recent date than the pharos above described, they still retain decisive marks of their ancient workmanship.

Some historical records attribute the origin of this church to Lucius, a British king by Roman courtesy, his dominions having extended over the eastern parts of Kent, and who was converted to Christianity A. D. 172.

Whatsoever credibility we may attach to this legend, it may not be irrelevant to inquire whether the Britons were, at the period alluded to, sufficiently acquainted with architecture, to have designed a work of this description. Their intercourse with the Romans had then subsisted upwards of two centuries, and many of their chiefs had visited Rome and foreign countries, while numbers of their youth were incorporated in the Roman armies, and had served abroad. By those means they had unquestionably an opportunity of acquiring such a knowledge of the arts, as was requisite for the accomplishment of an undertaking of this description. Roman tiles appear in every part of this building, while a mere casual survey might lead an observer to conceive that no regularity had been pursued in the construction. The result, however, of an attentive observation will demonstrate that, in whatever age the masonry was raised, one uniform design was strictly adhered to, although there are certainly no means of positively deciding, whether the production was the labour of a British, Roman, or Saxon artificer.

This church is in the form of a cross; the tower being supported by four lofty arches, the pilasters on the north and south sides consisting of squared stone, with a bead embracing the front of an elliptic arch. The work in question is modern compared with the other two arches, which, including their pilasters, are formed of tiles after the method of the Romans. The sides