|of which formed a square of 440 feet, containing an area of four |acres; they are six feet thick, and in many places 16 feet high, |having 13 towers, besides the keep, which has four. It is of very |great antiquity, but its age and founder are both unknown. This |castle is now private property, rented by the crown, and has been |appropriated to the purpose of confining prisoners of War. Towards |the south-east part of the area is the parish church, which is an |ancient fabric. | |Porchester Castle, Hants, 223. (_see Porchester_) | 206|Portgate, Devon, 151. | 66|Portsdown Hill, Hants, 32, 214, 223. | 68|Portsea Gate and Turnpike, Hants, 32. | |Portslade, Sussex, 219. A parish containing 48 houses, and 284 |inhabitants. This village has partly risen out of the ruins of the |parish of Aldrington, which the encroachments of the sea has |entirely destroyed, not a house remaining. | 71|=Portsmouth=, Hants, 32, 98. A sea-port, borough, market town, and |parish, containing 7114 houses, and 40,567 inhabitants. | |This town was anciently defended by a wall of timber, covered with |earth, and with bastions and forts of hewn stone. But in the reign |of Queen Elizabeth it was strengthened by new works; at the |restoration of King Charles the Second great improvements were |made, by the establishment of new docks; and several forts were |strongly fortified in the modern manner, since which time each |succeeding monarch has made further improvements and additional |works, and it is now the most regular fortress in Britain, and is |reckoned almost impregnable by land as well as by sea. | |The dock yard, containing the warehouses for keeping all kinds of |military and naval stores, is the most complete in the world, and |possesses all the various manufactories necessary for supplying |its different naval equipments. The docks and yards, in short, |resemble a distinct town, there being particular rows of |dwellings, built at the public expense, for all the principal |officers who are under a separate government from the garrison. | |The streets of the town are mostly narrow and dirty, but always in |a bustle, the consequence of the town being wholly supported by |the fleets and armed vessels, which, during war, are constantly at |anchor here; and in peace it is the general rendezvous of the |India fleet. | |Close to the shore is the signal post, which is continually making |signals to the ships lying at Spithead, as well as the telegraph, |conveying intelligence and receiving orders from the Admiralty in |the course of eight minutes. | |The whole of the walls round the town are planted with cannon, and |on some of them are very pleasant walks, particularly on the east