360

THORNTON ABBEY, LINCOLNSHIRE. of yeccnd iloor. East front of Gateivay. roiHid tower at tlie end of each. These were evidently adapted for defence, and are of a later character than the gatehouse itself, perhaps as late as Henry VIII. : but there is the groove of a portcullis in the jambs of the outer gateway a, as if it had always been intended for defence ; the disturbed stat(^ of the country, or the dread of invasion, it being near the mouth of the Humber, probably ren- dered the additional outW'Orks ne- cessary at a subsequent period. The gatehouse itself is built chiefly of brick, cased wdth stone ; the outer face, or west front, is partly of brick, with stone dress- ings, the design being very rich and elegant: the entrance gate- w^ay is ornamented with three shafts in each of the jambs : its pointed arch is richly moulded, with flowers in one of the hollow mouldings : over this is a seg- mental arch, with hanging foli- ations : the side arches are partly concealed by later brickw^ork, but do not appear to have ever been open. This west front of the gate- house is divided by four octa- gonal turrets into three compart- ments ; in the centre are three elegant niches, with the figures remaining in them, and rich ca- nopies : in each of the side com- partments is a similar niche, one of which also retains a figure. The archway is groined, and has finely sculptm^ed bosses and moulded ribs springing from good corbels, panelled in the lower part. The upper part ornamented with foliage like the capital of a pillar. The Co'bel shewimg Sprineing of Rib between Gate-aich and East Archway.