Beyond the Bargate we come to the Polymond Tower or the Tower of St
Denys, beautiful with creepers. This would seem to be in some way
connected with the Priory of St Denys which held all the churches in
the town, as we shall see. As for its other name of Polymond, it would
seem to get it from that John Polymond, who, in the fourteenth century,
from which time the tower, as we see it, dates, was nine times mayor of
Southampton.
As for the God's House Gateway, to reach it we must cross the town. It
is a plain but charming work of two periods, the gate proper being of
the thirteenth century, while the tower with the two-storied building
attached to it is of the fourteenth. From the beginning of the
eighteenth century until 1855 it was used as the town gaol.
The old town of Southampton, a town within a town, is a fascinating
study, the interest of its gates and old walls is inexhaustible, but
apart from these it has little architectural beauty to boast of. For
all that it is amusing to linger there, if only to solve the problems
that time has contrived for us. Among these not the least is that of
the first site of the town.
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