wers are
a matter of puzzled conjecture to archaeologists; all three, Lewes,
Southease and Piddinghoe are on the western bank of the Ouse. The
suggestion that they were originally beacon towers is not very
convincing, though the Ouse at the time they were built was a wider and
deeper stream, forming in fact an estuary haven. The more prosaic
explanation is that lack of stone for the quoins, which every square
flint tower must have, led the builders to adopt this form. In any
case, a beacon fire from a square tower is as effectual as from a round
one. Piddinghoe has many associations with the smuggling days which
have given birth to some quaint sayings, as "Pidd'nhoo they dig for
moonshine,"--"At Pidd'nhoo they dig for smoke," etc., but we fail to
see the point in "Magpies are shod at Pidd'nhoo."

[Illustration: NEWHAVEN CHURCH.]

Seven miles from Lewes stands the rather mean port of Newhaven. After
many years of neglect and decay this Elizabethan sea-gate is once more
of great importance in continental traffic. Much money and skill were
expended during the latter half of the nineteenth century in improving
the harbour and building a breakwater and new quays. Louis Philippe
landed here in 1848, having left Havre in his flight from France in the
steamer "Express"; he was received by William Catt, who at one time
owned the tide mills at Bishopstone; this worthy was a well known
Sussex character and is immortalized by Lower. Newhaven has little to
show the visitor beyond the small Norman church which has a chancel
apse at the east of the tower. This portion is interesting but the nave
has suffered from ignorant tinkering under the alias of "restoration."
In the churchyard is a monument to those who perished in the wreck of
the "Brazen" sloop of war in 1800 off the harbour, and another to a
local brewer of the one-time famous "Tipper" ale, made from brackish
water. The town was once called Meeching; this name is perpetuated in
"Meeching Place" where a descendant of William Catt still lives.

[Illustration: BISHOPSTONE CHURCH PORCH.]

On the east of the Ouse is a much more interesting halt for the
tourist in the small village of Bishopstone. The small remains of the
tide mills just referred to are near the station. The very fine Norman
church is about a mile away on the road to the Downs. The four storied
tower is almost unique. Each stage diminishes in size, thus dispensing
with buttresses; in this respect it is similar