 The West Mere, covering 2.25-acres (1 ha), stretches away from the location of West Gate and is blocked at the far end by a small, stone dam.Three rectangular fishponds were built alongside the West Mere, the smallest, probably a stew pond for raising young fish, being fed with water from the lake.A protective earthen bank, probably originally reinforced by a timber palisade, ran for approximately 490 feet (150 m) along either side of the West Gate, where a gatehouse was probably built.