ived much at Rochester at all. On
the spot where its old prison used to stand within the palace precincts,
the diocesan Register Office was erected in 1760.

The building at present known as the palace, in St. Margaret's Street,
has often been thought to be the old mansion with all these historical
associations; it did not, however, become the property of the bishops
until after 1674. In that year it was bequeathed by Francis Head, Esq.,
to his wife, with the arrangement that, after her death, "in case the
Church of England does continue so governed by Bishops of the true
Protestant faith," it should be settled on the Lord Bishop of Rochester
and his successors for the maintenance of hospitality near the cathedral
church, and as an invitation to him to preach once a year each at the
churches of St. Margaret and St. Nicholas in his cathedral city. This
building has been little used by the bishops, and has generally been
leased by them, like other residences of theirs, of which mention will
be made in the chapter on the see and its history. The small episcopal
revenue has usually only allowed of the maintenance of a single palace,
though more may have been desired and even necessary.

[Illustration: ARCHWAY IN THE ROMAN WALL (FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY H. DAN).]

#The Enclosure and Gates# of the cathedral and priory have an interesting
history. The church was so close to the south wall of the city, which
bounded its domains on that side, that we find the line of the
fortifications moved time after time to allow of the growth of its
dependencies. Three acres of land, as appears from a deed of quit-claim
executed by Gundulf, had been acquired by the monks, about 1090, on the
south side of the town, and fenced round by a wall, which was probably
of slight construction, as no traces of it have been found. The first
extension of the city walls, which at the Conquest still followed the
old Roman lines, was made, also in Early Norman times, near the south
gate, so as to enclose the episcopal precinct, within which the palace
was then built. A little later Ernulf had to make more changes to obtain
room for his new monastic buildings. For this purpose he too overstepped
the old wall and used it apparently to form the northern side of his
southern range which lay just beyond. This would explain the massiveness
of the north wall of the refectory, which is 7 or 8 feet thick, while
the other walls are only 2 1/2 or 3 feet. In this old wall