The men thereof had widened and deepened the Weltering Water about
them, and had bridged it over to the plain meads; and athwart the
throat of the space left clear by the water they had built them a
strong wall though not very high, with a gate amidst and a tower on
either side thereof. Moreover, on the face of the cliff which was
but a stone's throw from the gate they had made them stairs and
ladders to go up by; and on a knoll nigh the brow had built a watch-
tower of stone strong and great, lest war should come into the land
from over the hills. That tower was ancient, and therefrom the Thorp
had its name and the whole valley also; and it was called Burgstead
in Burgdale.
So long as the Weltering Water ran straight along by the northern
cliffs after it had left Burgstead, betwixt the water and the cliffs
was a wide flat way fashioned by man's hand. Thus was the water
again a good defence to the Thorp, for it ran slow and deep there,
and there was no other ground betwixt it and the cliffs save that
road, which was easy to bar across so that no foemen might pass
without battle, and this road was called the Portway.
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