R H A HD C HA LES . S O W N

CONTAINI N G 32 FU LL - PA G E I L L U STRA TI ONS IN CO LO UR

A N D A NUM BER OF P LAN S AN D DIAG RAM S IN T HE TEXT

A T REB UC HET

L O N D O N A DA M AND C H A RL E S B LA C K

1 9 1 1 A G ENT S

A M u 1CA Tn: MACMILLAN COMPAN Y 64 8c 6 6 FeH A V E N UE N s w Y ORK Aus nA LAsxA T HE O XF ORD U NI VE RSI T Y P u s s 2 0 FLI E RS L E M ELB O R E 5 ND AN , U N

C THE M ACM I L LA N COM Y o r C L T A A A . A A A A, . N D ‘ P N N D D ’ T MA n'nN s H U E 0 B T EE T T T S . O S O S R ORO O , 7 ND , N

M CMILL Sc OM Y L T C . A AN PAN , D M A CM I LI A N B ux wmc BOM B Y , A 0 B o w B Z A R Su nn C LC T T 3 9 A A y A U A G E RM Y A STRI AN , U A H RY R SSI BROC K H S D PE HRSS ON UNGA , U A, AU A N SC I VI AN D 1 6 E RST R SSE Lmr zx c AND NA A, QU A , G ERMAN w TzaAN D P R E F A C E

CONSID ERING the richness and variety of both technical and po pular literature upo n Castles generally , it may appear superfluous to send forth another book upon the same subj ect , and , if investigation had been at a standstill o r

criti barren in results during the past decade , cis m would be justified . But much has come to light upon this interesting subj ect which

- undoubtedly revolutionises pre existing ideas , both as to primitive forms o f castellation and

o f of those in historic periods . The allocation m the for er to approximately definite epochs , and also o f two great and important phases o f

- defined the latter to well periods , are the salient

o f features late investigations . Unfortunately the ordinary reader is debarred from becoming W intimate ith these changes of thought, inasmuch vi BRITISH CASTLES

as newly acquired disco veries are generally to be found only in the transactions of learned Societies or in disconnected brochures not readily avail

able . To bring these ideas to a focus and present them in such a form that the Man in — the Street undoubtedly a member o f the pre ponderating majority—may readily comprehend

o ne them is of the aims of the writer, while another is to suggest to the ordinary Observer that the earthworks in our islands entitle primitive man to be considered with much more respect and consideration than has hitherto been afforded him .

The monumental work of Mr . T . G . Clark ,

Medi aeval Mi litar A rchi tecture y , has had no for midable rival since its appearance , but un fortunately it must now be read with care since much of the matter is obsolete . The distinction between the Saxon bark and the primitive type of castle thrown up by the early Norman invaders was not apparent at the time W the ork appeared , and consequently many scores o f castellated works are assigned to incorrect periods . This had the effect of making PREFACE vii

the chronology Of the Rectangular Keep in

TheHi s tor o theA rt o correct . Unhappily y f f Wa ’ r by Oman followed Clark s lead and with ,

o f . . course , the same result Mr . J . H Round in his Geofirey deMandevi lleappears to have been

o neo f to the first , if not the first, differentiate

s s l m i between the tarri and the catelu ( . e. the

o f Keep and the Ward) medieval writers , who were proverbially loose with respect to their

employment of technical terms . Excellent work also in this respect has been carried o ut by

Ar racti Mrs . E . mitage , who , by the process of p cally investigating in detail some o f the defences

mentioned in Domesday Book , has been able to definitely assign the Motte and Bailey type

to N P the early orman eriod . In the recently issued Vi ctoriaHi s tory of theCounties of England the effect o f these discoveries is discernible in

those parts relating to castellation , which very carefully correct the errors prevailing in former

standard and in local topographical works . With

to regard Earthworks , the invaluable investiga tions carried o ut by The Committee upon ” Ancient Earthworks and Fortified Enclosures , viii BRITISH CASTLES acting in co - Operation with the Society o f

ul o f Antiquaries , has res ted in a flood light being thrown upon these interesting remains , so that the Old allocation to British , Roman , and

Danish influence , so arbitrarily insisted upon in former times according to the contour o f the

o r earthwork in question , no longer subsists , only as far as circumstances justify the nomen

lature N O c . generally available work is to hand dealing with these subjects in a non - technical manner, and it may be hoped that this endeavour will help to fill the interregnum between the work o f u Clark and a future equally mon mental tome . The thanks of the Author are herewith gratefully tendered to the Congress of Ar chaeo logical Societies Of 1 9 03 for permission to make use o f the plans o f Earthworks issued in their Scheme for Recording Ancient Defensive ” r Earthworks and Fortified Enclosu es , and also to Mr . Cecil C . Brewer for the plans o f various

floors in Hedingham Keep .

C AR LES H . S DOWN H A H .

S T . LBA NS A . C O N T E N T S

CHA P T E R I

NATURA L F O RTR ESSE S S TRE NG TH EN E D

CHA P T E R II

F ORTIFI ED HILL- TOPS

CHA P TE R III

S IMPLE ARTIF ICIA L ENCLOSURE S

CHA P T E R IV

THE MOTTE AND B AILEY CA STLE

C HA P T E R V

TH E S HELL K E EP

C HA P T E R VI

THE RE CTAN G ULAR K EE P x BRITISH CASTLES

C HA P T E R VII

THE CY LINDRICAL K EEP

CHA P TE R VIII

THE CONCE NTRIC CASTLE

C HA P TE R IX

THE CASTE LLATE D MANSION

C HA P T E R X

THE CASTLES OF S COTL AN D

CHA P T E R XI

TH E S IEG E AND DEFENCE OF A ME DIEVAL CASTLE

I NDEX L I S T OF I LL U S TRATI ON S

F ULL PAG E IN COLOUR

m nt 1 . Bo d eS e F ro is iece ia Castl , uss x p One of the most picturesque ruins in Sussex and the f most interesting o its class in the Kingdom . It was erected by a veteran of Agincourt and is based upon the plan o f nl those existing in Gascony at that time. O y the encircling

walls and towers now remain , the interior having been

despoiled . The view shows the Gateway and a portion of f the de ences of the Causeway across the Moat .

2 e D e e . e Maid n Castl , ors tshir

This gigantic earthwork looms darkly in the distance, with indications upon its broken outline of the enormous mounds and fo ss es which render it one o f the most impressive e f i exampl s O ts class . As a work of Neolithic man it its commands attention , both by reason of the vastness of l the plan and the ski l shown in design.

3 . Peee eS e v ns y Castl , uss x Within the Roman walls encircling this ancient site a

Concentric Cas tle was erected during the time of Edward I . a short portion o f the existing wall being used fo r the new was a o f building . It partly surrounded by a moat, a p rt

which appears in the view, while the drum tower occupying the centre is o neo f those designed to protect the approach to the Castle . xii BRITISH CASTLES

4 TheBe m T e T e L . aucha p ow r, ow r of ondon

T his building affords an interesting example of the ground floor of a tower o f the thirteenth century with e e as massive walls and deep embrasures . It b cam famous a prison in Tudor times and later when numerous notable persons were incarcerated the carvings on the walls reveal

many notable names .

e eD e e Corf Castl , ors tshir The scattered ruins of the great Castle o f Corfe o wetheir present appearance to the “ slighting ” by gunpowder in

16 46 f its . , a ter capture by the Parliamentarians Amid the desolation produced the great Keep still rears a massive

f as . ront towards the sky, if protesting against the indignity

Th eGateway to the inner Bailey is nearly perfect, and the smooth ashlar o f many o f the circular towers remains

wonderfully preserved .

TheTower Of London The three lines o f defence which render the Tower one of the most effective Concentric Castles in this country are well

seen in the illustration . The Outer encircling walls, the e o f o f high r curtain wall the second defence, with one the o f many towers which bestride it, and the innermost all, the o f White Tower, the finest example a Norman Keep in e England , may be distinctly locat d . W 7 . ei e e K n lworth Castl , arwickshir Although deprived of the charm o f the great Moat which

once surrounded the Castle, Kenilworth still forms a its beautiful object, magnificent in decay . The halo of

romance hangs over these ruins, and Speaks eloquently ’ ‘ ’ o f Of the Barons War, and the Spacious days of Queen

A e eS e rund l Castl , uss x T A his massive pile, overlooking the little river run at its base, stands upon a spur of chalk which once bore a Motte and Bailey Castle . The Motte is now crowned by a Shell LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii I A CI N G PAGE of Keep , seen towards the right the picture, while some of the other buildings erected upon the enceinte form an effective group in the centre .

Do e e e v r Castl , K nt

The great Keep dominates the view , with the buildings o f f - its ore court at the base, while below are seen the towers and massive defences of the formidable entrance to the I o n o f Castle . t is e the most impressive piles to be seen in e the British Isles, and nev r fails to impress the foreigner f f when approaching it rom the coast o France .

Ro c ee e e h st r Castl , K nt OfRochester Castle nothing o f importance remains except the great Keep and fragments ofwal ls . The Norman Keep

- was erected in the reign of Henry I . ( 1 100 1 135 ) and is one of the finest now in existence . It has seen many troublous its fl o f times in varied history, chie y at the hands King

and . n o f John Simon de Montfort The combi ation Keep,

Cathedral , and river presented in the view is particularly pleasing.

R m eY e ich ond Castl , orkshir This lordly Castle occupies a commanding position in the romantically beautiful valley o f the Swale and dates back to the Norman period . The Keep is a salient feature and exemplifies in a remarkable degree nearly all the character i ti s s c inherent in buildings of this class . The Norman hall is one of the best preserved of its type to be found in this country .

r eCam arvo ns hire Ca narvon Castl ,

o f One the most impressive features of this great Castle, termed the finest in Europe, is the Eagle Tower with its many historical associations . The bands and dress ings of dark sandstone are well Shown in the illustration , while upon the merlons crowning the turrets may be perceived as little dots the statuettes o f men and animals which usually occur upon the Edwardian Castles in Wales . xiv BRITISH CASTLES

eR e I e Castl ush n, sl of Man

t Cas le Rushen, in Castletown , is the ancient residence of the Kings Of Man ; it probably dates from the thirteenth - u century and is still quite entire . The Keep like str cture upon the right are the curtain walls and towers surrounding

the inner Bailey .

Lee e e ds Castl , K nt Leeds Castle is of the Concentric type and stands upon two islands in the middle o f a lake which contains about f fifteen acres o water. It has a rich history and the remains

are of considerable interest, although the earliest work now t o be seen is not older than the twelfth century . The Gloriette or Keep is that portion lying to the right in the

picture .

T e L The eTo e ow r of ondon, Middl w r

’ This building might more aptly be termed The Barbican , f as it lies upon the arther side of the Moat from the Fortress . It now forms the entrance to the Tower from Tower Hill and affords access to the outer Bailey through the Byward

Tower, whose entrance may be perceived through the a archway . In e rlier times this gate , which is one of those wa . s f f built by Henry III , separated rom a ormer outer e barbican by the wat rs of the Moat, hence its name , the

Middle Tower .

e o e m e Ch pst w Castl , Mon outhshir

Chepsto w Castle is an example o f an Early Norman s Fortre s of the Rectangular Keep type, which was rendered o f concentric by the addition Baileys and a wall of enceinte . A steep side towards the river is visible in the picture upon

which the domestic buildings were built. Among the many o f beautiful spots to be found upon the banks the Wye,

Chepstow Castle holds a worthy place . Perhaps the beauty ’ o f i decay s in no case better exemplified in any part of

England than here . xvi BRITISH CASTLES FACING PAGE

by a moat and a deep dry ditch . The famous Household f ethe Book of Henry Percy , written soon a t r country settled Of down after the Wars the Roses, reveals elaborate details

of the life in this Castle . The illustration shows how a castle built on level ground is able to look over a very

extended area from its battlements .

Hee e e v r Castl , K nt

Hever Castle dates from the time of Edward III . , and a romantic interest is attached to it in connec tion with the

- f . ill ated Anne Boleyn, whose family resided there The e Gat house, not Shown in the illustration , is undoubtedly

one of the most effective portions of the building .

to e e w e Maxs k Castl , War ickshir

This Castle is practically entire, having escaped the

destructive hands of the Parliamentarians . It was raised in III the early part of the reign of Edward . and the Gatehouse

forms an excellent example of castellation of that period . o f th e Strange to say, some original domestic apartments are

still in a good state of preservation .

Hers tmo nceaux eS e Castl , uss x

is a . This C stle one of the later type, and erected in brick I t is contemporary with Tattershall in Lincolnshire, also f the built of brick, and undoubtedly orms one of finest

examples ofthe Castellated Mansion to be found in England . Pe P e e nshurst lac , K nt

Themanor- house of the Sydneys first came into existence

in the reign of Edward II . and gradually expanded into a of m happy mixture the anorial mansion and the Castle . o f The Hall , seen in the centre the picture, dates from the middle o f the fourteenth century and is one o f theearliest of parts the building .

Bo e eLa e thw ll Castl , narkshir

Bothwell Castle stands in all the majesty o f ruin upon LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii F ACING PAGE the banks of the Clyde, and is without doubt the grandest example in Scotland of the Simple enclosure castle o f the thirteenth century . A deep and wide moat protects it upon its its the land Side, and Donjon is also strengthened by w o nditch .

Neid ath a ePeee e p C stl , bl sshir

Is a typical Lowland Keep or Peel overlooking the Tweed , and although it probably does not date back earlier than the f ourteenth century in its present form , an older structure f 1 12 w existed in the time O David I . ( 4 h o dated was charters there . The Castle held by the Frasers until f Ye the ourteenth century, and John , Lord ster, afterwards f a the Earl of Tweeddale, de ended the pl ce against Cromwell a in 1 6 46 but w s oblig ed to surrender .

’ Edinburgh Castlefro m the Terraceo f Heri ot s H ospital

Edinburgh Castle is the centre of the national history o f

. I o f Scotland t stands upon the ancient Burgh Edwin,

King of Northumbria, and although sadly altered and disfigured in comparatively modern times by the addition of many unpicturesque buildings, it still possesses interesting features of the past, and an imposing aspect when viewed f rom the city .

D e e e unnottar Castl , Kincardin shir

Dunnottar Castle is undoubtedly one o f the most majestic o f ruins the fourteenth century in Scotland , with a rich store of interesting history casting a halo o f romance around the massive pile . The sea surrounds it on three Sides , while a deep ravine upon the fourth severs it from the mainland . The tide of war has often ebbed and flowed before its hoary e was 2 . Th 139 walls Keep built by Sir William Keith in , o f and in the Great Civil War the regalia Scotland , which fo r f o f e had been sent here sa ety, was sent out the Castl before its surrender to the Engli sh . xviii BRITISH CASTLES

a eH o e 3 0. T o antall n C stl , addingt nshir Tantallon Castle stands upon a bold spur of rock south f of the Firth o Forth . It is a magnificent example of a

Quadrangular Castle, surrounded upon three sides by the of waters the North Sea, and defended upon the remaining l fl side by gigantic wa ls anked by the Keep, and also a deep

S eS i in e tirling Castl , t rl gshir Stirling Castle occupies a precipito us Site upon the river Forth and is connected with the history of Scotland from a f very early period . Of Sieges and battles it has seen its ull n Share, and although moder fortifications and barracks

somewhat detract from its appearance , it still possesses a

number of medieval structures of great beauty and interest .

Raising th ePortculli s The method for raising and lowering the Portcullis of a n medieval castle is shown here, the example bei g taken ff f from the Tower of London . This e ective de ence could be entirely detached if required and dropped at a critical

moment when, perhaps, a few assailants had gained ff admission, and were in that manner cut o from their a comr des .

LINE D RAWING S IN THE TEXT

PAGE A Trebuchet Title- page

o m De e C b Moss, rbyshir e e eE e Maid n Castl , W st ntranc e eE E Maid n Castl , ast ntrance

S o eo f S e R e i P aeo f t ckad ton and ubbl , w th alis d Wo o d 1 9 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xix PAGE S m eS o eo f S o e E e e 6 . i pl t ckad t n and arth , r tain d by Wooden Stakes

Sto eSt ae I e o eo f 7 . n ock d , with nn r C r Masonry

o P eOf T ee- T n 8 . o e e ee W d n alisad r ru ks, str ngth n d with Earth

Badbur R Do e 9 . y ings, rs t m f 1 0. TheBer o Cadbury Castle

1 1 Ravensbur h eHe He . g Castl , xton, rts

1 2 Mam To r De e . , rbyshir

Hun u N r ham o nshir 1 3 . sb r o t t e y, p

1 arn r 4 . Y bu y, Wilts 1 e D e 5 . e M landra, rbyshir

1 6 S o f th Deee V . ection eCity f nc s of erulamium (near n St . Alba s)

’ 1 B emeeP e o emo P 7 . attl nt d arap t sh wn in Ca d n s araphrase

m o in H 1 ee . 6 03 8 . B S attl nts sh wn arl . M

’ 1 TheD B Ganno ck s s ee Tem 9 . anish urh at Ca tl , n ar psford 2 0 Peee e . v ns y Castl

’ 2 1 ff eN o . Cli ord s Castl , rthants

2 2 Fo rebuildin o f th e ee Beee . g K p, rk l y

2 3 Do e s e . v r Ca tl

e o 2 4 . S Clun Castl , al p

Bambo ro u h e 2 5 . g Castl

2 P o f the eeo f H e m e 6 . lans K p dingha Castl

2 G o P o f i ee 7 . r und lan Con sborough K p 2 8 . Conisborough

2 Th eI e o e e 9 . d al C nc ntric Castl

o n A 3 0. Machicoulis supp rti g an lur xx BRITISH CASTLES

1 eo ee O e 3 . M rl n pi rc d with ill t ae e 3 2 . C rphilly Castl e m 3 3 . e e e Kidw lly Castl , Car arth nshir e 3 4 . Cheps tow Castl e e et 3 5 . Le ds Castl , K n

3 6 . Bartizan

3 D m n th eP eo f o c o 7 . iagra illustrati g rincipl C nstru ti n Classical Engines B R I TI S H C A S TL E S

C HAPTE R I

NATU RAL F O RTRES SE S S TRENG THENED

MA N is essentially a pugilistic animal and ex periences a keen sense o f delight in hunting all

o f Objects the chase, ferocious or otherwise, but the keenest undoubtedly wh—en upon the track o f the grandest of all game man . But at the same time though willing to Inflict injury he invariably does so at the minimum o f risk to

o f o wn himself, deeming the preservation his life, the greatest o f the gifts that Nature has bestowed

o f upon him , the first importance . Thus it is conceivable that after the selection of a stone o r the fabrication of a club by primitive man he naturally proceeded to make a protection for himself to counteract the effect o f those weapons l when wie ded by others , and the shield would follow as a logical sequence . The shield was to all intents and purposes a movable castle, since 2 NATURAL FORTRESSES it afforded him the means of causing the greatest a mount of annoyance to his enemy, while at the same time furnishing the maximum means o f protection to himself ; a definition which is appropriate to the first and latest type o f feudal

- castle . As a non movable protection he would

soon recognise the advantages afforded by a tree, f a rock, a fold in the ground ; and the e ficacy o f these natural defences would suggest artificial e - xamples where they were non existent .

Hence the earthwork and the parapet of rock, singly or combined, may be regarded as the first o f all castellation , with an origin so remote as to be practically coeval with man ’ s first appearance m upon earth . These si ple means of defence are found in every country occupied by primitive races ; in Am erica they are numerous and un doubtedly point to a high antiquity, and the same

o f holds good in many parts Asia and Europe . In the British Isles we have a richer collection probably than can be found in any other portion o f the globe, for in the habitable districts hardl y a square mile exists without some indication o f disturbance of the soil due in the maj ority o f O cases to some work f a defensive character .

Earthworks are of such a varied nature, with

4 NATURAL FORTRESSES accumulation of detritus or alluvium existed,

. that is to say, in the valleys So that, broadly

speaking, the parapet prevails in Wales and the Midland counties and the ditch in the remaining portions . Those districts, reaching approximately

the Cretaceous formation, would therefore roughly divide the country into two portions—the fosse prevailing to the east of it, and the breastwork to the west . Another fact is apparent when dealing with this subject the earthwork is much more durable than any other form of castrametation , in fact it is almost indestructible so far as meteoric agencies f are concerned, whereas the parapet suf ers not only from disintegration by the weathering influences of

r rain , frost, wind, and heat, but also f om the tend ency to lose its original shape through having no natural or artificial coherence between the

o f separate parts . Thus undoubted examples pre hi storic ramparts are comparatively rare when compared with the wealth of existent earthworks . It must be borne in mind that the study o f the earthwork is the alphabet to that of castellation , and that the evolution of the latter cannot be efficiently comprehended without an intelligent CLASSIFICATION OF EARTHWORKS 5

clas s ifica appreciation of the former . So far as tion of earthworks has been made to the present time , the following table represents the general

o f mode of procedure , and under one or other its separate headings the whole of the earthworks, so far as our knowledge extends at the time of writing, may be allocated .

CLASSIF ICATION O F EARTHWORK S

1 N atu l n th n d . raF t es s es s t e ee or r r g . This refers to fortresses partly inaccessible by reason of precipices , cliffs , or water , additionally defended by artificial banks or walls .

2 F o ti ed H l - T t n d in . e r fi i l ops s treng he . This cludes - fortresses situated on hill tops, with artificial defences adapted to the natural con

r o f figu ation the ground , or to those which are less dependent on the natural slopes .

3 S im leA rti ci l E nclos ures . a p fi , including rect

u o r ang lar other forms, and all the fortifications

- and towns of the Romano British period . T M 4 he oun and F s e. . t os

5 Th M ount nd B i l . e a ae y, consisting of natural o r artificial mounds with o neo r more courts attached . 6 NATURAL FORTRE SSES

Homes tead M oats . 6 .

supplementary defences .

P otected Vi llaeS i tes . 8 . r g

— d Clas s I N atural F ortres s es s trengthene. This division may very readily be subdivided into three parts dealing with natural fortresses according to the topographical characteristics as follows ff (a) Promontory forts , or cli castles both upon

the coasts and inland .

(b) Those depending upon rivers , woods , ffi marshes , etc . for e ciency .

(0) Plateau forts .

P F s — (a) romontory ort . This type of fort is prehis to rl c as a rule and not characterised by N an excess of variation . o distinctive uniformity can be traced, it is true , but special features may be di scovered in almost every example of the class . It is only natural that primitive man should seize upon any spot which promised the minimum of labour to adapt it for his purpose of protection , hence distinguishing features may be PROMONTORY FORTS 7

discerned in almost every case, depending upon the presence of a precipice , Slope , bog , wood, chasm , marsh, etc . The description of a few o f these fortresses will suffi ciently illustrate the point .

Treval ueHead - e g , one mile north east of N w

Quay, is practically an island, being cut off from the mainland by a chasm through which the tide 0 flows, thus presenting a formidable Obstacle 2 feet wide in places . In order to strengthen this natural obstruction many lines of entrenchments have been thrown up , both upon the island and the mainland . The presence of quantities of flint chippings sufficiently proves that this fort

N ro babl was the residence of eolithic man , p v the P a descendant of local al eolithic ancestors . ” As the terms Stone Age , Bronze Age , Iron Age do not convey any idea of date to

o f the great majority people , it may be advisable to mention that the Stone Age approximately

3 000 B C terminated about . . upon the Continent, 1 5 00 and in the British Isles , when the Bronze

Age is supposed to have commenced . These dates are of course entirely conjectural . The Iron Age commenced in Britain about 400 The general idea o f a cliff castle may be 8 NATURAL FORTRESSES gathered from the foregoing description of Tre valgue ; there are many examples to be found in

our Islands, and similar ones occur in Brittany . That they are of ancient British origin is sug gested by the fact that they invariably occur in a

district where cromlechs , stone circles , menhirs ,

and other Celtic remains are to be found . l T er n Cas t e . r y , about three miles from St

Buryan , contains the famous Logan stone . The m 2 5 fort is a gigantic ass of granite , nearly 0 feet in height, separated from the mainland by a 4 triple row Of formidable entrenchments , still or 5 yards in height . This fort is probably the

finest to be found in Cornwall . ’ S t D vid H At . a s ead is a cliff castle called

Clawll Mi lw r y y , where a small peninsula has been converted into a formidable fortress by the erec tion of a great stone wall about 1 2 feet in thick 1 5 ness and still some or more feet in height . The only method of approaching the enclosed

‘ space is by a narrow entrance at the end of the wall . A fosse is associated with the defence in question , and several other subsidiary walls and fosses are found . Excavation has proved that the formation o f the castle occurred in the early

Iron Age .

R R 1 0 NATURAL FO T ESSES

plan is their chief feature, and generally the fosse defending them is single , rarely double , and practically never treble . They probably afforded the last resort when hard pressed by the enemy

l stand within them , and , if fortune sti l proved

adverse, could lower themselves down the steep faces Of the cliffs , and trust to the mercy of the waters . (b) Another class of fortresses falling under the same heading are those which depended upon woods , marshes , rivers , and similar natural defences for their efficiency .

Hi lls The Dyke at Dorchester, in Oxfordshire , undoubtedly formed at one time a safe haven of refuge, being almost surrounded by swamps forming a most effective defence . At the present i time, however, these have d sappeared owing to the general lowering of the water - level throughout

England , by drainage, locks , weirs , etc . , and they consequently give no indication o f former effici ency . Two great fosses may be traced reaching from the Thame to the Thames , thus cutting Off a piece of land and entirely defending it by

o f means water . PLATEAU FORTS 1 1

I s leo A valon The f , near Glastonbury, is

essentially a peninsula , rising from the midst of a marsh with a series of aggers and accompanying

dykes carried across the isthmus .

C O M B

M O S S

0 1 0° 3 00

0 eet j fi fl l ‘ 1 F

M M DE I E . CO B OSS, RBYSH R

c P lateau F orts — Comb M os s ( ) . . One of the

finest examples of this division is Comb Moss , which is situated near Chapel - en- le- Frith in the 1 6 00 vicinity of Derby, and at about feet above

the level of the sea . Its mission is so obvious that the name o f The Castle is applied to it 1 2 NATURAL FORTRE SSES n and local ly . It is roughly tria gular in shape,

upon two sides precipitous slopes occur, which descend for near ly 5 00 feet and offer mag

o ut nificent protection . The third side leads and upon a fairly level plateau , here a double h rampart and fosse as been made, completely closing the entrance with the exception of a narrow portion at the north - east side upon the d e n very e ge of the pr cipice, forming a most da ger o us entry and consequently could be easily a defended by a sm ll number . There is an opening in the centre of the ramparts which is probably of later date , conjecturally Roman .

An ancient plan shows a spring in the open space , but it does not appear at the present time . A rough wall was constructed round the edges o f the precipices to confine sheep , but the original fortress was doubtless defended by a thick and massive rampart , there being no lack of material a for such a protection , while the usu l timber and stone breastwork would crown it . CHAPTE R II

F O RTI F I E D HILL - TO P S

THIS class o f fortress is illustrated by numerous i examples in the Br tish Isles , many of which possess a very high order of merit . Class I . is generally found associated with coast line or rivers with precipitous banks ; Class II . deals almost entirely with inland elevations which , while having some natural advantages in the way o f steep ground o r other defences of an inac cessible character , rely chiefly upon the artificial additions which have been made to the natur al ones . With such a wealth of illustration it is f ul somewhat dif ic t to select examples , but those described may perhaps be typical of every n variety to be fou d in the kingdom . These camps of the plateau type were the commonest N prevailing before the orman Conquest , and for

Cis s bur every great fortress like y , Maiden Castle , 13 1 4 FORTIFIED HILL - TOPS

l ur D o eb y , or Bradbury there were hundreds of

smaller examples .

These latter were , as a rule , much more liable

to destruction by the plough, being slightly con structed and generally at no great elevation above

the mean level of the land ; the farmer , ever in

search of good rich earth , turned with avidity to the great banks of loose soil placed ready to hand , and hence the destruction of small camps has

been excessive . The great fortresses, with their u steep scarps , have defied the plo ghman , and to this we may ascribe the excellent preservation

they generally present . These contour forts are undoubtedly an advance upon the earlier promontory type and Show an adaptation to the requirements of

advancing civilisation , pointing to coalescence and centralisation of hitherto - divided com

munities o f , the protection a settled area , and

- the guarding of trade routes . Hence they indi cate the presence of larger numbers and the

possession of greater wealth .

Hembu F Ho — r ort ni ton. y , This is by far the most wonderful example of the class to be found

in Devonshire . It stands at a height of nearly 9 00 feet above sea-level and encloses a space o f CONTOUR FORTS GENERALLY 1 5

8 approximately acres in extent . Double valla, and their accompanying fosses, surround the

avera whole camp , the crest of the inner vallum g 5 0 6 0 ing from to feet above the bed of its fosse . To these formidable defences a third vallum u has been added, s rrounding it upon every side except the east where it was deemed unneces sary . It is prehistoric and probably British , but up to the present time has no t been excavated . Ham Hill in the south - east part o f Somerset shire is a hi gh mass o f rock standing detached from the neighbouring hills . The wonderful u trenches , too n merous to mention in detail , Show a very high order o f military skill in forti

ficatio n hi , and t s is the more remarkable when we discover that Neolithic man was probably s an werable for their construction , although the fort has been subsequently occupied by men o f the Bronze Age , and also by the Romans . S outh Cadbury lies five miles north of Sher borne . It is a huge and extremely formidable fortress standing at a height of over 5 00 feet

- above sea level, and possessing no less than four lines of massive ramparts , steeply scarped , some o f them even penetrating into the hard oolitic 1 6 FORTIFIED HILL - TOPS

rock . There are two entrances into the large space enclosed by the ramparts , and in each case protective mounds have been erected defendi ng them . aidenCas tle f M , about two miles rom Dorchester

ID TLE WE T E T E M E . A N CAS , S N RANC

(Dorset), easily holds the premier place among the

o n fortified camps of Great Britain , not only account of its vast extent and the cyclopean

o f character of its works , but also by reason the marvellous military ingenuity displayed in its construction . Our general conception o f the

D 1 7 MAI EN CASTLE, DORSET intellectual calibre o f primitive man forcibly undergoes an alteration when contemplating the colossal schemes which his brain was capable of producing and his hand had the power o f carrying f into e fect . The area enclosed is 45 no less than acres, while the whole fort o c cupies a space o f 1 1 5 acres . The circumference of this vast work measures one and a half miles , and three enormous valla and fosses stretch this dis tance ; in many places the crest o f a vallum above the fosse beneath

M IDE T E E T E T E . A N CAS L , AS N RANC 6 0 it amounts to feet . But perhaps o ur chief admiration is evoked by the complex arrangement, by means of which

two the entrances into the fort are protected . A glance at the plans illustrating these will at once show that fortified mounds and bastions of the most complicated forms are placed s o as to impede the progress of stormers , and there can 1 8 FORTIFIED HILL - TOPS

be no doubt that every means Of protection known at the time were interposed between

them and the besieged . And here perhaps we may mention that the defences o f an ancient earthwork can hardly be judged adequately at the present time without imagining the subsidiary structures which once

. crowned the works . These auxiliary aids cannot

o f with certainty be described , because the perishable character which generally signalised

them , and the very meagre references which

o f o ur occur in the most ancient writers . It is generally accepted by authorities upon the subject that some stockade o r other defence was

to o f invariably added the summit a rampart , and that this depended in character upon the

o f nature the country . In districts where stone

was abundant, uncemented walls o f large blocks

were erected , generally with battering surfaces , the hollow portion between the two faces being

o r filled up with earth rubble as in Fig . 1 . More primitive still would be the single wall with a bank o f retaining earth behind it fo r support

(Fig . while more complicated would be o ne

strengthened by a central core Of masonry (Fig . Remains of these walls have been found in THE STOCKADES 1 9

in s i u various places still t . It is quite possible that a palisade o f sharpened stakes o r o f wattle u f s rmounted these stone walls , thus still urther ffi adding to their e ciency . In a soft country,

o r where only earth chalk is available , timber

o f would naturally take the place stone . The

F IG . 1 .

T ADE T E A N D B UB B LE IT A I DE D . S OCK OF S ON , W H P L SA OF WOO

o f Gallic defences this nature , which gave so much ’ trouble to Caesar s legions, appear to have been made o f tree - trunks lying side by side upon the ground with the second course o f trunks super

at o f posed right angles , the whole the interstices being filled with stones and earth tightly rammed

(Fig . It will readily be perceived that a rampart constructed of alternate courses similar 20 FORTIFIED HILL -TOPS

1 0 to this, and approximately feet in thickness im and o f considerable height, would be quite

FI O . 2.

IM E T C A DE T E A ND E T ET I ED ODE ST E S PL S O K OF S ON AR H, R A N BY WO N AK S .

o f pervious to the missile weapons the period , and indestructible by fire , even if the assailants

F IG . 3 .

T E T DE IT I E E M S ON S OCKA , W H NN R COR OF ASONRY . succeeded in filling up the deep vallum below the s o f ba e the wall with combustible materials .

Whether this method o f the utilisation o f timber THE WOODEN PALISADE 2 1

fo r barricades was ever introduced into the British Isles for strengthening valla we have no

o f means ascertaining , owing to the perishable

o f nature the defence , but considering that the

ancient Britons were of undoubted Celtic origin ,

F IG . 4.

DE I DE T EE- T T E G T E D IT T NE E . WOO N PAL SA OF R RUNKS, S R N H W H AR H

we are perhaps justified in assuming it . On the

ro w o f other hand, a thick vertical planks driven deeply into the soil and placed closely together upon the summit o f a rampart would prove a very formidable Obstacle after surmounting 6 0 22 FORTIFIED HILL -TOPS feet of steep escarpment under a hail o f missiles . The small mounds so Often placed as defences near the entrances of fortified hill - tops were clearly intended for a ring of palisades upon their summits , and isolated bastions similarly placed were doubtless treated in the same manner . There are no less than five lines o f defence

- o f upon the south and south east Maiden Castle , and a feature of the work is the large amount o f room provided upon the summits o f the valla to afford accommodation for great bodies o f defenders to stand and use their weapons .

W o f . P Rin s N . . adbury g , four miles Wimborne — This may be classed among the greater hill fortresses inasmuch as it encloses a space o f 1 8 acres and is furnished with three valla and their in accompanying ditches . The scarps are places 40 very steep and feet above the fosses . The

eastern entrance is reminiscent of Maiden Castle , a bastion-like Obstruction being thrown forward to

obstruct ingress, while the great area of standing room provided for the defenders may be looked upon as characteristic of west country forts as it is repeated in a number of others—Cadbury

S h o ulsbur o n Castle, near Tiverton , and y Exmoor,

for examples . In the outer area a mound occurs ,

24 FORTIFIED HILL -TOPS

. inner space, which is approximately level The

gigantic rampart rises to the height o f more than

20 feet above the berm .

A R E A

B E R M

THE BE RM OF CADBURY CASTLE . — r o f . Ciss buy, north Worthing This great fort A e ress was constructed by men of the Flint g , and indubitable proofs o f its occupancy by a permanent population engaged in a staple trade are afforded by the immense remains o f fli nt

o o f chippings within its area , the pr duct many

o f - generations flint knappers . The deep and wide pits within it were dug fo r the purpose o f

flints o f obtaining , the raw material their industry, and these excavations were subsequently utilised

- for dwelling places . The fort is advantageously Situated upon the trading route between the

o f o f An erida inhabitants the Great Forest d , covering the Weald of Sussex , and the maritime population o f the southern littoral ; and this fact

RAVENSB URGH CASTLE 25

appealed no t only to Neolithic man but also the men O f the Bronze and Iron Ages , who occupied

o f it in succession . It is a camp the plateau type with an inner vallum rising nearly 5 0 feet above

the fosse and 2 0 above the inner area . General Pitt Rivers estimated that 5 000 men would be

required to man the ramparts effectually.

s le Hewton H — Cat erts . Ravens burgh , , The northern escarpment o f the Chiltern Hills is marked by numerous deep ravines leading down

with winding courses to the lowlands . This has the effect of leaving bold bluffs o f chalk standing

o neo f up between them , and upon these this remarkably fine hill fortress is placed . In addition to the two ravines lying at the sides it is still further isolated by a third running at right

angles between the others . The castle occupies

1 6 o f acres the western half of this plateau , and possesses double ramparts o n three sides and

triple o n the north . The section AB Shows the

steep descent into the ravine upon the south side ,

and DE indicates the same , while clearly showing the three lines of defence formed by the two

ditches . The scarps are remarkable for their

clean and smooth surfaces , the chalk presenting the appearance o f having been cut with a huge RAVEN SB UR GH C ST E HEXT E TS A L , ON, H R . MAM TOR 27

knife . The entrances into the defence lie at

- nearly 5 00 feet above the sea level . One o f the most prominent examples of the

Mam Tor class is , a great hill rising to a height

o f 1 7 00 - feet above sea level, and dominating

Castleton and Edale , Derbyshire . Upon the summit o f this eminence is a remarkable earth

6 o i work enclosing about 1 acres land , round which the original rampart must have been nearly

- o f N three quarters a mile in length . atural defences o f a very marked character are upon

o f two sides the triangular enclosure , consisting o f steep slopes which descend for a considerable

o f distance . Upon the summit these slopes two formidable ramparts with an accompanying fosse have been constructed , thus adding still further to an almost unassailable position . The agri cultural inhabitants o f the district often term it The Shivering Mountain from the many little avalanches o f shale which are dislodged from

its sides . Upon the northern part the natural

defences are not so apparent, as the ridge of an

adjoining hill approaches at that point . An entrance to the Fort occurs there at the present i w t me , as sho n in the plan , but not in its primitive

condition . The only method of entering was by .» mnm nnnmnmufiQ

“ ( Jab ll

MA M TOR DE I E RBYSH R .

30 FORTIFIED HILL -TOPS

, however, was disclosed in the fosse the lower part Of which was originally o f an angular section in it a depth of silt approximating to 7 feet had

accumulated . The scarp was inclined at an angle of and the counterscarp probably rose at almost the same angle the width o f the fosse 20 was over feet , and the depth above half

that measurement .

Huns bur N o r th y , i e amp tons h r . T hi s earthwork is about one and a half miles from

Northampton , and may be cited as an example which falls naturally

into this subdivision ,

H UN SB UR Y T M T I E . , NOR HA P ONSH R inasmuch as thehill upon which it stands possesses such an easy slope that it does not tend to help to any marked extent the formidable defences upon the 200 summit . These lie nearly feet above the

Nen 0 - 3 7 . river , and feet above sea level It is a

o f small enclosure , the single fosse which is well preserved with the exception o f a portion upon

- the north , which has been quarried for iron stone , HUNS B URY 3 , NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 1

r much in demand in that dist ict . The defences

o f were undoubtedly great power originally, but have been much degraded ; the interior o f the camp has been ploughed , and the earthworks

YAR NB URY IL T , W S.

planted with trees . The original opening is that i S E ly ng to the . The name upon the Ordnance ” Survey is Danes Camp , though upon what

no o f authority is t apparent . Camps a very s imilar nature may be found at Ring Hill in

B adbur Essex , and y in Berks , while Whelpley 3 2 FORTIFIED HILL - TOPS Hill in Buckinghamshire is almost an exact

replica . Yarnbury lies about three miles to the west of Winterbourne Stoke in Wiltshire and is allocated

to this division , being one of the largest and best 20 of its kind . The area enclosed is about acres ,

o r encircled by three valla and two three ditches . The inner rampart rises at times to over 5 0 feet

above the fosse . There are a number of entrances ,

but only those to the east and west are original ,

each being defended with outworks , the eastern gate by bastions similar to those at Maiden

B adbur Castle and y Rings .

C HAPT E R III

SIM P LE ARTIF ICIAL ENCLO SU RES

- P d 5 B — B s ei o . C. A T R no ti h . D 1 a he o a ri . ( ) m r , 4 4 0

THE earthworks under consideration are those

ul o r which , rectang ar otherwise , were constructed dur ing the historic period commencing with the

o f Roman subjugation Great Britain , and ending N a few years before the orman Conquest . It may be termed the Romano - British - Saxon

o f Period . It was the incipient era castellation proper in the British Isles , distinct from pure earthworks , inasmuch as during the Roman perio d massive defences of masonry supplanted the earlier uncemented walls and wooden palisading . f o 5 5 B . C . a At the first invasion Caesar, , we re d f o no towns being assaulted , but in the next ,

B C o idum Cas s ivelaunus 5 4 . . , the great pp of was taken by storm after the passage of the Thames . 33 5 3 4 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES

to This capital , Verulamium (adjacent the a modern St . Al bans), was a l rge oval enclosure defended upon three sides by a deep fosse and

o ne vallum , in place doubled , and upon the other by an impassable marsh . The city was A D 43 attacked in two places and captured . In . .

o f the final subjugation England took place, and the vallum at Verulamium was crowned by the

o f Romans with a massive wall masonry, great portions o f which still remain , supplanting the former wooden obstructions . That which occurred at Verulamium happened also in numerous other places , Silchester for f example, the Romans thus adapting an e ficient earthwork to suit their o wn requirements .

- no t Where , however, pre existing works did in occur , the walls , ramparts , and fosses were variably constructed round arectangul ar area such as may be seen at Chester . The enclosed streets crossed each other at right angles , and

o ne ul this feature is a marked in Ver amium ,

a do although , as st ted , the defences not conform

to the rectangular shape . Isolated earthworks constructed during the Roman Period are always

o r more less square . Melandrais a Roman earthwork in a good

3 6 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES

o f the general plan , based upon the formation

Roman legion . Cas tle h , Ri chboroug , near Sandwich in Kent may be cited as a veritable example o f a Roman o ne castle built in Britain, and is almost the only remaining at the present day that preserves in any marked degree its original salient points . It is conj ectured to have been erected in the time

to o f the Emperor Severus , its mission being protect the southern mouth o f the great water way which then separated the island o i Thanet

Ofli ce from the mainland , a similar being per formed by Recul vers at the northern entry . Three sides o f the rectangle are still protected by the massive masonry walls which the Romans

r knew so well how to build ; the fourth , o eastern

side, where flowed the river Stour, possesses no visible defence, as it has been undermined

and overthrown by the river current . The 440 northern boundary is feet long , and the 46 0 western . The walls , which vary in height 1 2 3 0 from to feet, are about 1 2 feet thick and batter towards the top ; they are beautifully faced with squared stone in horizontal courses

s ato S eo ntium imil r those seen at g , the Roman station at Cam arvo n; the core is composed o f THE ROMANO -BRITISH PERIOD 3 7

boulders from the neighbouring beach , embedded in mortar with courses o f the usual Roman

di o f bon ng tiles . In the centre the area stood a temple and other buildings ; the foundations o f f some o these are still in evidence . Whether the external walls were strengthened by the

o f r addition square o circular towers of masonry , P as at orchester and Silchester, has not as yet been definitely determined . A common device in Roman castrametation

SE CTION OF TH E CITY DE FE NCES OF VE RULAMIUM (NE AR ST . ALBANS) . was the berm o r platform outside the surrounding wall , but immediately beneath it ; in an attack upon the fortifications the assailants woul d be exposed to a plunging fire o f missiles from the ramparts while descending the steep counter

o f to scarp the ditch, a raking discharge when

o f ascending the Slope the scarp, and be entirely

o f devoid cover when crossing the berm , which 0 was generally about 2 feet wide . Another advantage Of the berm was that it placed the 3 8 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES engines o f the besiegers o n the remote side of a the ditch at a greater dist nce from the walls, and thereby lessened the effect o f the missiles discharged from them . To still further modify the results o f the latter upon the wall it was customary to bank up the earth upon the inner face to form a ramp , and this also lessened the effects o f the rams o f the besiegers . These features are shown in the foregoing diagrammatic section o f the walls of Verulamium . — b TheS ax on P eri od 0. 1 0 1 06 6 ( ) , 4 Concerning the defensive works erected in the British Isles during the Saxon Period there is more indefinitenes s prevailing at the time o f writing than there is with regard to any period antecedent o r consequent to it . This may be attributed to two causes , the first being the unsatisfactory use o f the word burh in

- Anglo Saxon manuscripts , and the second the effects produced during the past half- century by writers wrongly attributing the remains o f N early . orman castellation to the period pre it ceding , following upon a misunderstanding of the word above mentioned . This has had the result o f rendering the major portion Of THE SAXON PERIOD 3 9 the works produced upon the subject o f castella tion during the latter half of the nineteenth century unreliable and obsolete s o far as the

Saxon and Roman periods are concerned, while at the same time producing a marked hesitancy among experts to definitely attribute any work to the first o f the periods without systematic f excavation o the site .

E burh In O . . the word in its nominative form signifies a fort o r stronghold and is generally ” translated as borough , while in its dative form byrig it is commonly used to indicate what its

bur modern representative v conveys . But Anglo - Saxon writers did no t use the two words strictly, and thus hesitancy and confusion have n w been produced . It is o being generally accepted that the usual form o f burh o r borough was that Of a rectangular enclosure surrounded by a rampart and an external ditch , the area being o f any dimensions up to 20 o r 3 0 acres o r more . This arrangement is probably exempli fied in the earthworks at Wallingford . It is obvious that the inherent weakness in this very elementary system o f defence lies in the inability to adequately man all the ramparts at once because o f their great extent ; the 40 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES defenders probably relied upon the promptness with which they coul d meet a threatened attack

- at any particular point . The Anglo Saxons at a very early period recognised the advisability

of forming fortified positions in the island , and carried out the system so entirely that practically

o r every isolated house , farm , group Of buildings

was enclosed by its rampart and ditch . Even at the present day we become aware o f this fact from the scores of burys and boroughs

with which the surface of our land abounds . The burh was thus a comparatively slight affair when

compared with earthworks which had preceded it . But undoubtedly the great centres o f defensive strength lay in those towns which the Romans

had formerly fortified , and the inclusion of their masonry walls in the borough boundary im

mens el f ex em y augmented their e ficiency , as is

lified l Ar p at York , Linco n , and Chester . ound villages and farmsteads the defences probably

consisted of a ditch , a vallum surmounted by

a turf wall , a palisading of thick stakes , or

' even a hedge . That the latter was a mode of defence in the earlier part o f the Saxon Period is proved by an insertion in the Old English — Chronicle under the year 5 47 where Ida o f THE SAXON PERIOD 41

N B ebban bu h orthumbria is said to have built r ,

i B ambo r u h — wa . e. o s g , that it first enclosed w ith a hedge , and subsequently with a stone

wall . Illuminations in Saxon MSS . representing fortified towns invariably depict stone walls

with battlements ; but, again , it may be that

Roman , and crenellated walls are

TT E ME TED P ET BA L N PARA SHOWN B A 'I‘TLE MENTS IN L MS 3 SHOWN HAR . . 60 . m “m m ” 3 P E PARA HRAS 3 AnAn l o -S ax onMS ePs alm . ( g . of th s )

IN D E I LI . MS . BO L AN BRARY

r ext emely ancient , being represented upon the

Nineveh marbles . In the illustration from the

Caedmon MS . given here true battlements are

depicted by the Saxon artist, while a similar 6 03 attempt has also been made in Harl . MS .

abattlemented parapet being evidently intended . Ida wrought a burh at Taunton (before and Alfred built many burbs against the 42 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES

, Danes . His son , Edward the Elder and Ethel

eda , fl , the Lady of the Mercians were yet more To energetic in raising these defences . Edward the burh at Witham , now unfortunately in process o f demolition , and also that at Maldon Eth elfleda are attributed , while was responsible 9 1 3 for those at Stafford and Tamworth in , and 4 o f at Warwick in 9 1 . In the absence rebutting evidence we are undoubtedly justified in assum ing that these burh s were simply replicas o f the conjectured method o f fortification pur sued by the Saxons ; the belief is strengthened by the i remains at Maldon and Witham , where w de rectangular enclosures are found surrounded by earthen ramparts and external fosses .

A difficulty , however , arises when we con b N sider the two bur s erected at ottingham . No rectangular enclosures have been discovered there, and it seems probable that the word simply signifies that two forts were erected to protect the bridge which passed over the Trent at this point, similar perhaps to the mounds o f earth at Bakewell and Towcester, which are supposed to date from the same period . The genius o f the Saxons appears to have been adapted to field warfare rather than to the

44 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES the Danes proposed to establish their winter r quarters in 9 2 1 , and an extensive bu h was o f thrown up for the purpose . It consisted a

mnmmInmmimnm S uuuunuuummumm, N. m mmm m 2 : umm m f , e" 5 m z nm 2 m m u N m

I a ( m u

“ H HIM") o mu . z; nmrumnn 9 6mmIIIuIIIusuummsuuhu..

TH E D I A T GA N N OCIUS C T E AN SH BURH AS L , E TE M F D N AR PS OR .

large enclosure with inner and outer wards , high i ramparts , and three wide d tches filled with f k s water rom the river . The most stri ing feature ,

perhaps , were the two large harbours within the

fortifications , designed to protect the Danish THE SAXON PERIOD 45

galleys . The Saxon king Edward , however , carried the place by assault and burnt the fleet .

dis co mfited The Danes , much lessened in numbers , a retre ted up the river, and near the junction o f the Ivel with the main stream threw up a smaller burh which now bears the name of ’ Ganno ck s Castle , near Tempsford . The fort is an oblong area enclosed within a single fosse ,

o f and , what is very significant in face later

o f developments , a mound earth stands within it near a corner, where the only entrance to the

P ro fort is found . robably this mound was p tected by palisades the same as the rampart , but Edward , flushed by his former success , stormed the burh and captured it with terrible loss to the routed garrison . — P evens ey Pevensey Castle is associated with

o f the earliest history Britain . Upon its site

An erida stood the Roman Camp of d , oval in

co nfi ur shape , and obviously adapted to surface g

o f o f ation . It is the reputed site the landing

Caesar . The British occupied it when the

Romans left, and here occurred the great massacre 47 7 by the South Saxons under Ella in . In 06 6 P 1 William I . landed at evensey and erected o neo f his portable wooden castles , probably 46 SIMPLE ARTIFICIAL ENCLOSURES

within the Roman Camp . The Castle came to

- t o f Mo rtai n his half brother Rober , Earl g , who

considerably strengthened the existing remains . The supposition that he erected a Motte and Bailey castle seems to be negatived by recent investigations . The Castle was held by Bishop Odo against the forces o f Rufus fo r six weeks in 1 08 8 , but was

surrendered , Odo promising to give

r u p R o ch e ste , which promise he subsequently vio

l a t e d . K i n g Stephen besieged it in person in P EVE E TLE S AS . N Y C the war with the

Empress Maud , when it was defended by Gilbert ,

o f ur . Earl Clare, and onlys rendered through famine It came to the Crown during the thirteenth cen

ur o f P t y, and John Gaunt appointed the elham 1 3 9 9 family to be castellans . In , Sir John Of that

o f name , an adherent Bolingbroke, was absent ’ when the Castle was besieged by the king s forces , W but his ife, the Lady Jane , conducted an historical defence with such gallantry that the THE SAXON PERIOD 47 a P ssailants retired . evensey appears to have been used as a State prison, and within it many notable persons have been incarcerated , including f o . Edward Duke York , James I of Scotland , an o f d o f N . Joan avarre , second queen Henry IV A large proportion o f the Roman wall sur rounding the oval site is still in excellent preservation it is strengthened by fifteen drum

s o f tower great solidity . The height ranges 2 0 3 0 between and feet, and upon the summits may still be perceived some o f the strengthening N orman masonry . The inner castle is a remark able feature o f the enclosure ; it is supposed to have been erected at the end o f the thirteenth c o neo f entury, and the towers dates from the t o f ime Edward II . It forms an irregular penta

o n g , each angle being strengthened by a massive drum tower ; two semicircular towers flank the e o f o ne ntrance, which only remains in good con d o f - ition . The masonry the draw bridge is still to be seen, and the entrance passage with portcullis g rooves and meurtriere openings are in good con d l ition . The great Roman wal has been utilised to form portions o f the eastern and southern

o f sides , but this suffered in the time Elizabeth , w o f hen a part it was blown up by gunpowder . C H APT E R IV — Y 0. 106 6 0. 1 100 THE MOTTE AND B AILE CASTLE ,

As is well known to students o f English history the Norman influence began to prevail in this country some time anterior to 1 06 6 . The court of Edward the Confessor owned a fairly large proportion o f Normans , the sympathies of that monarch being strongly in their favour . They obtained from him grants of estates in return fo r feudal duties , and , the Welsh being at that time a source of annoyance , some of the land so allocated was situated on the borderland .

to So far as is known , the earliest castle be erected by a Norman in that locality was built ’ - c 1 05 0 Ri chard s Cas tle by Richard Fitz Scrob , . . , as it is termed, stands in the northern part of Herefordshire a second example was thrown up at Hereford, and a third at the southern entrance G to the olden Valley . If we may trust con

5 0 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

o f d the mound abreastwork timber was place , either o f thick vertical planks driven deeply o r into the soil and firmly strengthened behind , o f timber and stone as previously described in

- connection with fortified hill tops (Chap . n Upon the summit and occupying the ce tre, as as a rule, a wooden castle was erected known ” e the bretasche, and varying in size and a com mo datio n according to the available space . We may safely infer that the height o f the bretasche

two to was not less than stories, and this , added the elevation o f the mound which occasionally

6 0 o f reached to feet , would afford a coign vantage for a view over the whole area below . Upon the outer edge of the fosse a vallum occurs

u addm to in many examples , thus still f rther g the depth o f the defence and giving increased height to the counterscarp ; it also afforded a means for erecting a pali sading o f stakes if advisable . To afford ingress and egress to the fort a narrow flying bridge o f wood was erected reaching from the top o f the mound to the outer

o f edge the fosse . Such was the method o f construction o f the

o f simplest form Of this type , which Bures Mount

’ in Essex , The Mount , Caerleon , and Clifford s CLIFFORD ’S CASTLE 5 1

N o rtham to ns hire Cas tle , p , are examples ; but it is e e wxtremely questionable even if these cited cas s ere made without an accompanying bailey,

’ IF F D C TH T T E N A . CL OR S AS L , OR N S

no no w traces can be discerned . The ac s o c ommodation would be extremely limited, and the danger o f starvation to the garris on s o 5 2 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

n no ul f imminent , seei g that room co d be a forded fo r any cattle o r Sheep upon the motte , that , unl es s intended to be o f a temporary nature o r hastily raised in an emergency , we are justified

o f not in assuming that these forts, which very many occur , are in an incomplete condition .

’ s Cas tle Clifi ord , at Little Houghton , three

as o f N o f miles e t orthampton, is an example the Motte and Fosse ; it is one o f those defending — ’ the valley o f the river Nen Earl s Barton and Wollaston being similar companion defences . f The hill is o large circumference , presenting imposing proportions , and may be compared with important works like those at Ongar and

o r N . Pleshey in Essex , with Thetford in orfolk It rises to a height o f over 5 0 feet above its f surroundings , and lies upon part o a small

ur . as nat al ridge A ditch surrounds the b e , the ballast from which was taken to the to p Of the hill in order to increase the height ; the

to summit there , however, is level . In order increase the efficiency o f the fosse it was co n verted into a moat , water being admitted from the adjacent river . At the present time no

o f traces whatever a bailey are discernible , no r o f any enclosure with masonry walls . This THE BAILEY 5 3

does no t prove that these additions have never existed ; the natural place for them would be upon the eastern side where hi gh ground is situated , and if they have been built at any period they would present features similar to

o f those at Thurnham in Kent . The summit the mound would in that case be reached by a

o f flying bridge wood .

o r The Bailey, base court , was an enclosed piece o f land lying at the foot o f the motte ; a

was ditch surrounded it , the ballast from which thr own up inside the area s o as to make a ram

two o f part for palisading . The ends the ditch j oined the fosse encircling the motte , generally upon Opposite sides Of the latter . In the bailey i the bu ldings for the garrison , stables , Offices and domestic buildings were erected, while the bretasche afforded accommodation fo r the lord o f the castle , his family, and immediate attend ants . In those cases where a second bailey occurs it is generally extended beyond the first o n the face remote from the motte , as at Ongar

s Ca tle , Essex ; but sometimes, though more rarely, both baileys will abut upon the mound , as N a at ewton in Montgomeryshire , while in

o f limited group castles , including Windsor and 5 4 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

o f Arundel , the motte occupies the centre the whole defence . It is no t difficult to understand the almost universal rule that the mound is placed upon the outer edge o f the enceinte ; it was without

o f doubt the strongest part the position , and the refuge to which the besieged retreated when

o r the bailey, baileys , had been lost , and in the last extremity it afforded a means for escaping

o f to the open country . This disposition the mound with regard to the bailey should be borne in mind when dealing with those castles which have been erected in later times upon a pre existing Motte and Bailey fortress , the mound , as a rule , with its accompanying enclosures s erving as a nucleus around which masonry defences could be grouped .

Of Through the agency the plough , and aerial

o f o f forces degradation various kinds , baileys present but scanty traces at the present day in an many instances , and this may be t ke as proof, if any were needed , that earth and wood were the only kinds o f material employed during the early Norman period in the construction o f forts . N O traces o f stone have been discovered which can be assigned to that period with EARLY NORMAN CASTLES 5 5

s ab olute certainty, and not only does this

- well established fact corroborate the assertion , but documentary evidence points in the same direction . It is quite possible that other Motte and Bailey castles besides the few enumerated may eventually be ascribed to the fifteen o r twenty N years preceding the orman invasion , for there was nothing to prevent a wealthy Thegn from erecting o neo f this type which he may have observed o n the Continent where many scores were in existence . The Bayeaux tapestry shows Dinant as being defended by a Motte and Bailey castle ; the usual wooden tower is seen upon

o f the top the mound , and the enclosed bailey is

o f stockaded . It also shows the construction such a castle at Hastings, besides four similar N examples in Brittany and ormandy . Certain it is that almost immediately after 1 06 6 a rapid construction o f these fortified posts

o f occurred in many parts England and Wales , ll not necessarily equa y distributed , but more thickly dotted in those places which the military instinct o f the great Conqueror led him to deem desirable . Thus the Welsh borderland is remarkably rich in examples , Herefordshire 5 6 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

- alone containing thirty two , as compared with

Leicestershire four, Nottinghamshire five, and

ur Hertfordshire fo . It is remarkable , however, that many highl y developed examples o f this class are to be found in the eastern counties where no borderland existed , and we can only account fo r this anomaly by supposing that a

o f Norman lord , to whom a grant land had been a assigned in recognition Of his milit ry services , hastened to consolidate his occupancy by the erection o f a castle , and that such building might possibly not have any reference to the defence o f the kingdom as a whole . Thus the castle became the accredited centre o f a feudal barony, and a Motte and Bailey in almost every case is connected with places mentioned in the Domesday Book as being the

o f N residence a orman landowner . For example,

Berkhampstead , owned by Robert Count o f

o rtai n o neo f M g , boasts the most perfect specimens to be found in the country the manors of Nigel

Cainh o e de Albini at in Bedfordshire , Robert de

- Malet at Eye in Suffolk , William Fitz Ans culf at

e Als elin Dudley in Staffordshire, G offrey at N Laxton in ottinghamshire , William de Mohun le at Dunster in Somersetshire , Robert Marmion

CASTLES THE NUCLEI OF BOROUGHS 5 7

To denei at Tamworth in Staffordshire, Robert at

Belvoir in Leicestershire , Henry de Ferrers at

B us li o f Tutbury in Staffordshire , Roger de

Tickhill in the West Riding, and Ilbert de Lacy

P s at ontefract in York hire, all exhibit the same

Thes e c astles in many cases became the centre around which sprang up the dwelli ngs o f traders and agriculturists which subsequently developed

no t into boroughs , while in a few instances ecclesias tical settlements occurred which finally expanded into stately monasteries .

Again , many barons threw up castles in the

f o r to - centre o , adjacent , pre existing towns , the subsequent fortifications o f which became an

o f integral part the whole scheme of defence, as

Wh r N . e at Warwick , ottingham , and Leicester ever acastle was built fo r the double purpose o f overawing a town and defendi ng it against a common enemy , it is generally found placed upon the city defences o r immediately adjacent thereto ; and as the settlement had invariably

o f o r originally sprung up in the vicinity , upon th e o f banks , a river , the fort is usually found placed at the junction where the borough and the river defences meet . A fortress situated in s 5 8 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE this position would be able to afford material help to a relieving army , while at the same time in the event of the town being captured and given to the flames it would occupy the best

possible position , short of being entirely outside

o f the walls , for the garrison to escape the effects

n o f the co nflagratio . This position the castle with respect to the town walls and other defences

o f will be recognised in the cases Warwick ,

Hereford , Stamford , Cambridge , Bedford , Chester,

Shrewsbury, etc .

The Motte and Bailey castle was, as a g eneral

o f rule, placed upon the banks a river , which thus

o ne ensured immunity from attack upon side , while at the same time supplying the water fo r the ditches defending the other three sides .

In many examples , however , the defence de

o f pended upon dry ditches . The proximity high land apparently had no bearing upon the nl choice of position , u ess of course it was danger o usly near ; it was only upon the introduction f o gunpowder that the presence of commanding spots in the neighbourhood became o f import

o f ance in the selection a site . We find , however, that the positions usually chosen enabled the garrison to command a view over the surrounding SITES OF THE EARLY CASTLES 5 9

o ne country , and this feature is a prominent ’ f at Richard s Castle , which af ords a wide extent

over the northern part of Herefordshire . This

is also the case at Belvoir, which occupies a similar position with respect to the great plain o f N ottinghamshire . There were naturally a number o f points which had to be taken into

o f consideration in the selection a site , but those enumerated were among the most im portant ; one fact is forcibly borne in upon the mind when viewing the positions o f these ancient a fortresses , n mely, that the builders had a keen eye fo r the recognition o f salient points in the ichnography of a district . In an invasion o f the British Isles at the present day the unwelcome intruder would probably hasten to entrench himself and render his position safe by pits , earthworks, and an elaborate entanglement o f barbed wire ; and in the same manner as these could be rapidly prepared , so we find that the Conqueror, directly aft er Hastings , threw up the defence which woul d be the most expeditious in the making and the cheapest in construction . The Motte and Bailey castle fulfilled both conditions in asmuch as it was only necessary to Obtain , by 6 0 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE a fair means or otherwise , an dequate number of Saxon labourers to ensure the rapid erection a o f the mound , while simult neously the local trees were being felled and roughly hewn into Shape by native carpenters fo r the palisades

TO an o f and bretasche . give idea the speed

with which these fortresses could be made, we find that in a brief campaign o f less than two

1 06 8 o f months , in , the king founded eight a considerable import nce , including those at

Nottingham , Warwick , Lincoln , Huntingdon , and York ; in the following year the erection o f a second castle at York only occupied

o f eight days , and Baile Hill, the mount the

ffi to defence in question , su ciently testifies the

o f advan magnitude the work . One great

o f no t tage the system should be forgotten ,

o f namely, the possibility adequate defence by a small garrison because o f the narrow front

to exposed an attack , and the immunity from harm o f the besieged while the defences stood intact.

Winds — C o f or . The Royal astle Winds or originated in o neo f the Motte and Bailey type erected by the Conqueror upon the s triking

a s o n Of eminence near the Th me . It was e those WINDSOR CASTLE 6 1

that were hastily thrown up in order to co n

hi s a solidate power, as it is mentioned as e rly as 1 07 0 1 086 , and in Domesday Book in . It is o neo f a small and exclusive type by reason Of the dominating motte oc cupying the centre o f the enclosure instead o f the usual position at the side o r end ; this peculiarity is shared by

N o neo r two s . Arundel , ottingham , and other

to v It is quite reasonable infer, howe er, that

o neo r o f , even both , the baileys were added at some time subsequent to the throwing up of the

mound . It was sufficiently advanced in strength

1 09 5 o f o f in to be the prison de Mowbray, Earl N orthumberland , and the extensive additions made by Henry I . enabled the Court to be held

1 1 1 0 o n there in . John seized Windsor during

o f hi s the absence brother, but was besieged

to sur in it by the loyal barons , and forced render . Windsor has been stated as the place Of

o f B rao s e 1 2 1 0 imprisonment the de family in , who were deliberately starved to death by the

o f inhuman John . In the reign Henry III . very extensive building Operations occurred , and a o f number towers, including the Barbican, were added , but probably Edward III . left a greater mark upon the castle than any monarch pre 6 2 THE MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE

o f ceding him , possibly by reason a natural affection fo r his birthplace . Upon the great motte which his Norman ancestors had reared he built that magnificent Shell Keep which forms such a fitting centre fo r the grand range o f buildings encircling it . The works commenced about 1 3 48 and lasted fo r twenty years , the celebrated William of Wyke ham , subsequently Bishop of Winchester, being

o f the architect . They included the whole the

o f walls the enceinte , the great Hall , various ’ lodgings for officials , and St . George s Chapel . In 1 3 47 two notable prisoners were confined

o f here , David Bruce and John , king France . ’ o f In the reign Richard II . St . George s Chapel was found to be in an insecure condition , and Geoffrey Chaucer was appointed Clerk o f the

o f Works . Windsor was the scene the imprison

o f ment the Scottish king James I . under Henry

IV . and V .

re- Edward IV . commenced the building Of ’ . no t St George s Chapel , which was completed

o f until the reign Henry VIII . , while to the latter monarch is due the great gateway which bears his name . The Castle suffered but little s tructur a lly during the Civil War, but all the plate and

C HAP TE R V — SH K P C . 1 100 1200 THE ELL EE ,

THE Shell Keep represents the second develop

N o f ment of the orman Castle , and consists a circular o r polygonal ring o f stone walling erected upon the motte in the position formerly di occupied by the wooden palisa ng . The sub s titutio n o f masonry for perishable material was

ur a natural and logical sequence , but in the h ried rush of events immediately following upon the Conquest there was no time for erecting such a

- u ul defence . A hastily thrown p mound also wo d no t to bear the weight , and it was necessary allow the earth to consolidate before imposing it . As the country became more settled , and economic and other upheavals less frequent , the Norman barons found time and means to devote to the strengthening o f their feudal homes . CONFIGURATION OF SHELL KEEPS 6 5

Of the precise date o f the first Shell Keep erected in these islands we have no definite record ; it is very doubtful if any saw the light during the reign o f William the Conqueror o r

Rufus , although many examples could be found

at that time upon the Continent . We know

that certain Castles , such as Carisbrooke , Lincoln ,

to and Totnes, had developed Shell Keeps prior

o f o f the termination the reign Stephen , and

that Windsor, Berkeley, Arundel , and a number o f others were furnished with“ the same no t

o f very long after, so that the age the Shell Keep may roughly be ascribed to the twelfth

century . One must not infer, however, that every example o f a Shell Keep dates inex o r

ably from that age , because , having proved its f e ficiency, it became a recognised method of

defence , and Lewes and Durham were endowed

with Shells as late as the reign of Edward III . The Shell Keep is always placed upon a

mound, either natural , structural at the time

o f - erection , or a pre existing motte , but by far

o f the greater number mounds are artificial . The configuration of the earthwork suggested

the shape of the Shell , being either circular ,

o f oval , or , as in the case York and probably 6 6 THE SHELL KEEP

Warwick, that of a quatrefoil . The majority l are polygonal , the sides not necessarily of equa

length , and few of them exceeding the duodecagon 1 00 in number . The diameter varied from feet 0 to 3 , seldom more or less ; the thickness of

r 1 0 to 1 2 the wall was f om feet feet, and the foundations were carried from 4 feet to 6 feet into the soil . This wall was not built upon the extreme edge of the plateau , but generally a few feet from it and carried upwards to a height

20 3 0 o f o f between feet and feet, steps wood or stone upon the interior face giving access to the rampart .

Being essentially in one compact mass , with o ut vertical breaks of any great extent , and homogeneous in construction , the Shell Keep was specially adapted to crown the summit o f an artificial mound . The interior area was occupied by buildings , generally abutting upon the Keep walls ; in early examples these were constructed of wood , but subsequently almost entirely of stone to lessen the danger of co n n flagratio . The substitution of masonry for palisading upon the mound suggested a similar course fo r the defence of the bailey , and the twelfth century

6 8 THE SHELL KEEP

ur rectangul ar towers , astride it , as a rule , occ red

in this century . There are examples in our h island , however, w ich prove that only partial adoption of these improvements took place in

many castles , and that , for example , the baron and his family were quite content to dwell

within the wooden bretasche upon the motte , at the same time strengthening the weaker bailey defences by the erection of a substantial cur tain

wall .

A l wi ck — o f Al n . The magnificent Castle nwick is an excellent example o f a Shell Keep fortress ; it stands upon elevated ground o n the south bank of the Al nriver and about 5 miles from the sea . At the Conquest the Site , which probably

to had an earlier defence upon it, was granted

Ves c e Ivo de y , whose daughter married Eustac

- o f t Fitz John . The constant inroads the Sco s necessitated a stronger fortress at this point , and ,

1 1 40 - o f about , Fitz John began the building which some splendid remains are still visible , chiefly in the innermost gateway and the outer curtain ’ wall . His son , who took his mother s name of

Ves c o f de y , placed the Castle in the custody the ’ o f Empress Maud s uncle , King David Scotland . 1 1 7 4 i In , Will am the Lion invaded England and ALNWICK CASTLE 6 9

besieged the Castle , but a coalition of the northern barons captured the king and took him to

Richmond , thus raising the siege . The de Vesey

o ut 1 2 9 7 family died in , and after a temporary

o f occupation by Anthony Bek , Bishop Durham , P was purchased by Sir Henry de ercy, a name which is associated with everything that is

o f brave , chivalrous , and martial in the county

N o rthumberland P hr . The ercy who fought t ough

o f the wars Edward III . and was present at Halidon Hill and Neville ’ s Cross was considered

as second only to the king in importance , while P the marriage of his son to Mary lantagenet,

o f daughter Henry, Earl of Lancaster, proved that it was worthy of alliance with the blood royal . 1 405 In Alnwick was besieged , and yielded ll to Henry IV . , fo owing upon the battle of Shrews bury and the defection and death o f Hotspur ;

e to H nry V however , restored the heir his

o f N possessions , and created him Earl orthumber land . He was killed at the first Battle of St. 1 45 5 Albans , , while his son fell at Towton in 1 46 1 . The Castle saw much fighting in the f latter part o the fifteenth century . The long line o f the P ercies came to an end in 1 6 7 0 ; it 7 0 THE SHELL KEEP

was probably the most historic o f o ur great

English families , and eight bearers of the title

met with violent deaths , chiefly on the battle

field . The daughter of the last Earl married

o f Charles Seymour , Duke Somerset , and their

daughter married Sir William Wyndham , thus P conveying to him the estates of etworth ,

Leco nfield Egremont , and . In the next century a Duke of Somerset left a daughter who inherited wh Alnwick and married Sir Hugh Smithson , o was created Earl P ercy and became the ancestor

o f the present owner . The Castle is cut Off from the town o f Alnwick

by a deep combe , which has been much scarped it is a matter for doubt whether the battlemented walls o f the town were ever joined to those o f the

Castle , the same as at Conway and elsewhere . 1 1 40 The Shell Keep was erected in , but is s o surrounded by subsidiary towers as to almost lose the characteristic . It lies in the centre o f the great enclosure , and dual defences run east

to and west the enceinte , thus making two wards , o r baileys . The knoll upon which the Shell rests may either be a natural feature o r the artificial motte Of a previous castle . The great gateway and the barbican present excellent examples o f

7 2 THE SHELL KEEP

first overcoming the defences of the Town , placed his guns on the top o f the Church Tower and

proceeded to batter the Castle . It capitulated ’ th e after seventeen days siege , and domestic

buildi ngs were levelled to the ground . The Castle is constructed upon the end o f a

r ridge o f Chalk extending f om the South Downs , with a natural escarpment upon the east and

Of south . It is an excellent example masonry superseding earthwork defences without o bliter

ating their original lines . The position is such as to suggest a prehistoric camp o f the pro

montory type . The chief original defence was 200 the great moated mount , which is over feet in diameter ; o n the south side the height from 7 0 the summit to the bottom of the ditch is feet , being altogether but a little smaller than Windsor .

Like the latter it possesses two baileys , occupying 5 over acres in extent , and together forming an oblong enclosure . The mount stands near the centre of the western side upon the enceinte , the ditch forming part of the outer di tch o f the

Castle in one place . This outer fosse has been much strengthened by artificial means , but is in many places natural . Upon the motte a Shell Keep was erected in

7 4 THE SHELL KEEP

o f came into possession Richard de Redvers , P whose heir became Earl o f Devon . iers

Gaves to n held the Castle in the fourteenth

o f s o n o f century, and also the Earl Rutland , Edmund o f Langley ; it was in the occupation o f a number o f persons subsequently but fell

to the Crown in the fifteenth century . It is intimately associated with the unfortunate

I to Charles . , who made three distinct attempts

escape from its confinement . The mound o f the Norman Castle was enclosed by a Shell Keep by Richard de Redvers ; it is an irregul ar polygon o f eleven faces and sixty

o f feet in diameter, the walls being enormous strength and thickness . Entrance is gained by a long flight of steps leading to a passage de fended by a portcullis and double gates . The

o neo f Keep encloses the two Castle wells . Very extensive addi tions were made by

wh o Anthony, Lord Scales , was Lord o f the 1 47 4 Castle in . The maj estic gateway dates from his time it is a fine and impressive entrance , flanked by two lofty cylindrical towers with a good example of machicolation between the towers , added late in the fifteenth century . The ruins of the apartments occupied by the royal CARISBROOKE CASTLE 7 5

o f prisoner lie to the north the enclosure . In the reign o f Queen Elizabeth an elaborate s ystem o f fortification was carried o ut by an

o f o f Italian engineer, in view the advent the

Spanish Armada , but was never put to use . After the Restoration many regrettable altera di tions and ad tions were made by Lord Cutts , with a view to modernising it, but some of these have been modified recently by the

o f Crown . The picturesqueness the ruins and their surroundings are an acknowledged feature o f the island , and few visit the latter without s o f eeing this venerable relic the past . CHAP T ER VI

N K P c 1 100—1200 THE RECTA G U LAR EE , .

WE have seen that the Shell Keep was a logical sequence in the development o f a castle which had been originally erected upon the Motte and

Bailey plan , and the question will naturally suggest itself as to the nature o f Castles which the Normans built in the twelfth century upon the a site not previously occupied . This was

Rectangular Keep with its fortified enclosure, answering approximately to the Shell Keep and the bailey . Rectangul ar Keeps had been prominent in French fortifications for at least thirty years N before the orman Conquest, but the introduction of the defence into England was slow and pro tracted . Only two examples are extant which

o f I . he preceded the death William , namely, t

White Tower Of London , and the Keep at 76

7 8 THE RECTAN GULAR KEEP an indication o f strength ; in a large number Of cases they consist of two walls at some distance apart, with the intermediate space filled

o f in with rubble and a certain amount mortar , g enerally inferior in quality, so that at times when the outer casing is pierced , the interior core pours out through the opening like grain from

fo r asack . They afforded , however, facilities the construction o f passages in the wall itself, and also for small chambers , while the exterior portion of the wall was invariably strengthened

to by flat pilaster buttresses . The entrances

o n these Keeps were usually the first floor, access being gained by means of a ladder or wooden gangway, the doorway being of small dimensions .

o f A series narrow vertical slits in the walls ,

o ut splayed into embrasures inside , served the

u arbales p rpose of windows , and also as oillets or teria , for the discharge of arrows and bolts . Later examples of the Keep are furnished with fo rebuilding s adapted to protect the vul ner

fo rebuildin s able portion , the entrance . These g were ' especiall y designed to present unusual difficulties of penetration ; drawbridges , meur e triers , oubliettes , and other devices b ing opposed to intruders , while passages leading to every F OREB UILDINGS TO KEEPS 7 9 spot except those desired were constructed in the walls to mislead and divert attacks from

inrushing assailants . One o f the best examples is that at Newcastle

- c . 1 1 7 2 upon Tyne , built ; it has two towers and

contains a chapel , the entrance to the Keep itself being from the roof which forms an

open platform . But by far the best example o f a fo rebuild F OR EB UI LD I N G TH E E E OF K P, ing is to be found at BE RKEL E Y .

Dover, standing against

the eastern face of the great Keep . It is so de signed that three separate protections are afforded

to the stairway leading into the Keep , the base, e centre , and landing stage having each a separat

tower fo r its defence . The entrance upon the first floor is barred by a door of formidable thickness and great strength ; upon the first

floor occurs the Chapel , and a view into it is

Obtained from the stairway , while a small chapel o r oratory is placed overhead upon the second

no w i . ts floor A well , disused , formerly had 8 0 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

opening in the third floor . The actual entrance

to the Keep occurs upon the second floor, although

o ne an ancient , now blocked up , Opened to it from

the first floor .

ver Cas tle D o , from its commanding position

o f at the narrowest part the English Channel , has for many centuries occupied o neOf the most prominent positions among the fortresses o f

to England . It stands upon a chalk knoll the

f racti east o the town , and by nature and art is p

cally severed from the adjacent land , whether

o r . high low From traces , which are now almost entirely obliterated, it is concluded that a Celtic defence primarily existed upon the summit ;

A D 42 this was followed after . . by a Roman

- station , the chief remains of which are to day e - P mbodied in the well known haros , a companion

A D 40 probably to that erected in . . by Caligula upon the Gallic shore . Traces of the Roman occupation , apart from the lighthouse, are very scanty, and are overshadowed by the Saxon work, although it is open to doubt whether th edevelop ment o f the latter was carried out to any elaborate

extent . It is with the Norman period that the history

o f proper the Castle commences . It surrendered

DOVER CASTLE 8 1

without opposition to the Conqueror , who added to the defences , and it was able to resist a sharp attack upon it in 1 07 4 when the men of Kent rose against William . Shortly after this the town was surrounded by walls . Although Dover was rightly considered as the key of England , the fortress is not connected with many of the great events which have gone to

will /nllr q nmlmmm ‘

D VE TLE O R CAS .

make the history of England . It has always been in the possession of the Crown and governed by a Constable . Hubert de Burgh defended it against the Dauphin in the time of King John , and , although Louis built many trebuchets and imported minor petraries from France , these , f combined with be frois , sows , and rams , failed to shake his determined defence . Dover appears to have played but little part in subsequent history, 1 1 8 2 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP probably through its falling into ruin by neglect during the Wars of the Roses and o f the great

Rebellion .

The Keep is a fine example , dating from N 1 00 1 1 8 2 , and essentially orman ; it is nearly

o f 9 5 feet square, and rises to a height feet . It presents a commanding feature from the sea as the summit is nearly 5 00 feet above high N t water . The usual orman pilas er buttresses are apparent at the angles and in the centres Of three

o f o f the faces . The Keep walls are most unusual 2 0 thickness , in parts exceeding feet, but these are honeycombed by a number o f small chambers

to and passages . Only loopholes admit light the lower stage , the more important rooms being upon the second floor . The Keep is provided with two wells , not contained , as usual , in the great transverse wall which divides the

two building into distinct portions , but in the

o f thickness the eastern wall . Subsequent defences have taken the form o f massive curtains defending the enceinte , which

o f 3 5 encloses an area acres , a special feature

- being the large number of towers , round fronted o r square, which are liberally scattered along it . The general shape no wdeveloped may claim

8 4 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

but wider than o nthe ground floor . The central dividing wall here is pierced by an arch and hence shown dotted in plan . On the second floor is the great Hall o f Audience ; across the centre is built a remarkably fine arch carried upon Norman shafts

fir with scollop capitals and moulded bases . The e place and also the window openings have zigzag mouldings around the circular heads . The upper part o f this room has a gallery running round it shown as the third floor plan ; the windows are doubled by a dividing pier and openings admit o f a view into the Audience Chamber . Above is the

l o w fourth floor in height, with zigzag moulding round the external window heads . Over this story

two is the flat roof and the turrets at the corners , o f which still remain . The floors and the roof were all supported upon wooden beams . Hedi ngham Castle was the residence o f the de

Vere family for about six centuries . King John 1 2 1 6 besieged and captured it in , but it underwent no subsequent siege . The outer fortifications were demolished in the reign of Elizabeth and only the Keep remains at the present time . The ramparts upon the summit o f a Rect angular Keep were carried upon the walls them a selves , the latter, as rule , being sufficiently THE PRIVATE CHAPELS 8 5

thick for the purpose without corbelling outwards .

The parapet was either continuous o r embattled .

A roof, at times covered with lead , was carried

over the central opening , and the uppermost floors

were invariably borne upon massive wooden joists .

The lowest floor was generally free from timber , being constructed o f masonry carried upon the

arches of a crypt, but in those cases where the whole structure was borne upon a solid foundation

o f o f masonry spread upon the entire area the site ,

this might be dispensed with . Some existing crypts

are not coeval with the building , but were added

at a later date , that at Richmond , for example ,

dates from the Decorated period . As a general rule the Keep contained a well which was sunk through the foundations and carried upwards in

the central dividing wall to the various floors , but examples occur where it is placed in the

enclosure . Most Keeps were furnished with an

o r o ne oratory private chapel , of the most

famous being that in the Tower of London ,

N - - while those at ewcastle upon Tyne , Colchester,

and Guildford are well known . In the later type

of Keep this feature is absent, the tendency being to erect all buildings used during times o f

peace within the enclosure . THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

The reduction o f such a Keep as we have outlined was almost impossible in the Medieval age except by famine the outer minor defences ,

no t o f however, were proof against the missiles the trebuchet, onager, and other petraries , and would invariably succumb . But with regard to

o f the massive structure the Keep , the largest stones could be hurled with but small resul ts ; and the few narrow openings in its walls pre sented but meagre opportunities for a successful

o f . admission the falarica , quarrel , or arrow TO carry it by direct assault would be at all times a forlorn hope . We thus see that the Rectangular Keep was essentially a structure for passive defence ; and during the time that provisions lasted it was

v practically impregnable . Built upon the li ing

im o s s i rock , as they generally were , it was an p bilit y to mine them ; even if attempted , mine

- could be met with counter mine , and the ram and sow might in vain essay to make any im pression upon such solid masonry . At the same t ime the garrison was to a certain extent incapable of inflicting much damage upon the besiegers except in case of assault ; the steep shingle roof afforded no place for a military

8 8 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP e elles m , of B , as he was termed had no con

’ fidencein his father s fortress , and transferred the

r er stones higher up the l v where , in the short

period of twelve months , he built the imposing

Keep whose massive remains , although sadly

shattered at the time o f the Commonwealth , still

excite our admiration . It is erected upon a rocky

site , protected by ravines upon three sides , and

overhanging the river Severn upon the fourth . When besieged by the King it withstood all the efforts of the formidable petraries brought to bear un upon it, and appears to have been practically

at o f injured when , the expiration a month , a portion of the garrison became disaffected by reason o f the threatening nature o f the royal messages , and managed to secure its surrender . When a Keep was added to a castle of the Motte and Bailey type there does not appear to have been any regular rule as to its position . At Guildford it was erected upon the motte

(though a little way down the slope), and also at N P ottingham , ickering , and York ; at Clun in Shropshire the Keep was built partly o n the motte , occupying the eastern slope , the mound apparently bearing a defence of the Shell Keep pattern at the same time . Gloucester Castle has

9 0 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

matter o f Crown policy, but with the settlement

o f o f the Kingdom , and the rise into power Norman nobles waxing rich and powerful upon their estates , restrictions became imperative if the royal prerogatives were no t to be set at nought . Consequently, special licences to build and crenellate had to be Obtained before erect

o f ing, or adding to the existing defences , a castle, and the rigorous insistence upon this law was readily recognised and maintained by all strong rulers o f the kingdom . When , however ,

o r a weak monarch came to the throne, internal

N inv ari dissensions occurred , the orman barons ably seized the opportunity thus afforded , and a large increase of these fortalices sprang into existence . The most remarkable example was during the eighteen years o f strife wherein King Stephen was struggling for his crown with the

o f forces Queen Maud . In order to propitiate the nobles and secure their services , the King gave licences with a reckless indifference to consequences , and many scores of castles were erected under these permissions , but a still greater number with no licence at all . These latter became known as adulterine o r spurious castles ; the total number built during this SPURIOUS CASTLES 9 1 period o f anarchy is said to have been more than o ne thousand , but more modern computation places the number at about seven hundred .

Stephen , when too late , perceived the mischief attending the multiplication of these citadels , and attempted to reduce the evil by destroying those belonging to the clergy . The essay proved to be a mistake , and during the disorder that ensued , the land became a prey to anarchy of the most violent kind , each baron or leader of mercenaries

o wn doing that which was right in his eyes , and retreating to the safe precincts of his castle when f in di ficulties . Of the nature Of these unlicensed strongholds there is considerable doubt, but a great prob ability exists that they were o f very rapid con

o f struction and , therefore , not the Rectangular

o r o f Keep type, but of the Motte and Bailey, the f Shell Keep pattern . That a large amount o time had been spent in their erection seems to be negatived by the fact that upon the accession of

o f Henry II . the great maj ority adulterine castles were destroyed in the course of a few months . This would have been impossible if solid masonry erections were in question , but hastily improvised defences built by forced , and 9 2 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

therefore, probably, unskilled labour, would not present great diffi culties . In all likelihood a great number o f the earthworks which occur in

no t to England, and have been assigned any

o we particular date , may their origin to this

o f distur bed period , especially those the Motte and Bailey type . Upon the whole, we can hardly look upon the reign o f King Stephen as a period distinguished by an advance in the art o f castle

o neo f building, but rather as temporary retro g res s io nto elementary types . With the advent o f the second half o f the twelfth century the Castle began to Show in many details the influence of the Early English style of architecture , though ornamentation is singularly rare in early castellation compared with the lavish wealth bestowed at the same N time upon ecclesiastical buildings . The orman style was still adhered to in the main outlines , but the external pilasteres developed to such an extent that they becam buttresses , as at Clun and Dover, the masonry workmanship improved , local stone came more into use, and internal decorations , such as ribs to the vaulting , began to be introduced . It is not uncommon to find the dog -tooth ornament employed in conjunction

9 4 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

was to a siege , and one great beffroi he raised so formidable that it is mentioned by name , malvoi s in; this he advanced to the walls , and so closely that conversation could easily be exchanged between the rival combatants . The rebel baron , de Mowbray , left the Castle in charge o f his wife , with the intention of procuring assistance , but was captured in an attempt upon N ’ ewcastle . By the King s orders he was brought to B ambo ro ugh and exposed to the gaze o f the garrison : upon a royal threat to put o ut the eyes of his captive unless the Castle surrendered l ’Ai le at once , the heroic Matilda de g , who had continued the defence with the utmost success ,

’ admitted the King s forces . De Mowbray was imprisoned , but in his old age was permitted to

o f enter the monastery St . Alban , where he died . Rufus appointed Eustace Fitz- John of Alnwick as castellan , and the Castle , in the time of

Stephen , successfully resisted an inroad of David ,

o f 1 1 6 4 King Scotland . In the great Keep was erected by Henry II . , and from that period the Constableship of B amboro ugh became a royal appointment .

B ambo ro u h During the Wars of the Roses , g I played an important part . First n Yorkist THE KINGMAKER AT B AMB OROUGH 9 5

possession it was captured by Queen Margaret , who placed a garrison o f three hundred men there

under the Duke of Somerset . Edward IV . with

B ambo ro u h ten thousand men besieged Alnwick , g ,

Duns tanbur h and g , the Kingmaker in person

c onducting the operations . The Castle was

s urrendered , and Sir Ralph Grey was left in

c harge , but betrayed his trust and admitted

uuuttuul

mnnumml l I

B A M G TLE BOROU H CAS .

1 46 3 1 46 4 Margaret in . In he was surrounded b ’ y Warwick s army, and a fierce bombardment

was maintained which did enormous damage , G rey being injured by o neo f the falling towers ;

he recovered , however , but was subsequently

executed at Doncaster . In the Sixteenth century 1 7 5 7 the Castle fell into disrepair, but in a

partial restoration occurred , and subsequently portions of it were turned into a school for girls 9 6 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

afterwards , however, it was purchased by the

late Lord Armstrong . There are three wards within the enceinte of 5 the Castle which encloses about acres of land , the middle ward and that to the east being at o netime covered by the buildings of the ancient

to town . The great Keep is similar those at

Dover and London , but originally possessed only

o f two stories . It is erected upon a solid mass

masonry, and the entrance leads by a passage in the thickness of the wall into the second story . There is no fo rebuilding as the Keep is o f a date anterior to their introduction . The lower part 1 1 o f the walls is about feet thick , and in the basement occurs the well over which appears a great vaulted hall .

as tle— Roches ter C . The two great Royal Castles in Kent were those at Canterbury and Rochester , and o f these Rochester was the more important

Of and boasts a richer history . The Keeps are e practically all that remain of each , and Rochest r again asserts the pre - eminence in respect to the importance of present remains . The site had been previously occupied by the Romans and the Saxons when , immediately subsequent to the

Conquest , a Motte and Bailey Castle was reared

ROCHESTER CASTLE 9 7

N by the ormans , followed shortly afterwards by

a massive encircling wall , enclosing an area measuring about 1 6 0 yards long by 1 3 0 yards

a o f bro d . A portion this wall was erected close to the river, and a deep ditch protected the remaining three sides .

o f It was thus , at the demise the Conqueror ,

- a very strong fortress, and that much hated

- o f half brother the late King, Bishop Odo o f

Bayeux , seized it , but was besieged and captured by Rufus after a resistance of six weeks . He was sent to Tonbridge Castle and subsequently 1 1 2 6 liberated . In Henry I . granted the Con s tables hi Co rbeuil p of the Castle to Walter de ,

Archbishop of Canterbury, and permitted him to erect a tower, probably the existing Keep . 1 2 1 5 In , when in the possession of William ’ ni d Albi , who was acting for the Barons , King John sat down before the Castle with a formidable array o f trebuchets , and battered it for three long months . Apparently he had greater success

- by undermining than by missile throwing, the tower at the south - east angle being partially brought down by a mine , together with other parts o f the chief defences . This extensive damage probably helped it to fall into the hands 13 9 8 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP

1 26 4 o i the Dauphin the next year . In it resisted a vigorous assault from the forces o f

durm " Simon de Montfort, and g the Wat Tyler rebellion was besieged and partially captured .

Edward IV . repaired it, but subsequently it f fell into a state o neglect, and has not seen any military operations since . It is now in the possession of the Corporation of Rochester, and l used as a place of pub ic recreation . The great Keep is naturally the chief Obj ect 1 1 3 o f interest ; it is feet in height, and about

o f 7 0 feet square . The thickness its walls varies

1 2 1 0 to from feet at the base to feet at the p , where the angle turrets rise over a dozen feet above the main battlements . It is divided , like a the Tower of London , into two portions by

to transverse wall rising the total height, and carrying in its centre the main shaft o f the

Castle well , which was arranged to deliver water at every floor . The usual flat pilasters appear

r upon the external walls , and the two lowe stories are pierced by loopholes only A fore building with the usual complicated contrivances f protects the main entrance . The aspect o the venerable Keep , conj oined to the tower and turrets of the adjacent Cathedral , form a delight

1 00 THE RECTANGULAR KEEP to wh o it, by John , Earl of Richmond , was killed 1 3 04 at Lyons in , and various other domestic buildings occur near it . A circular barbican protects the main entrance to the Castle , while in the south - east angle o f the enceinte wall an imposing rectangular tower has been built, containing the remains of an ancient postern .

M DIIIEN CE

TH E E E E DI G M T E PLANS OF K P OF H N HA CAS L .

Reproduced b ermiss wno theArch i tectual Ass y p f r ocrati onfrom theSketch B ook of Hedi n ham as tle g C . CHAP TE R VII

C ND R CA P C 1 1 —1 2 0 Y K . 0 5 THE LI I L EE , 7

TH E latter part of the twelfth century and the earlier portion of the thirteenth was marked by

o f the introduction the Cylindrical Keep , forming a transition or connecting link between the Shell and the Rectangular Keeps of the previous

o f period , and the remarkable development castellation which occurred in the thirteenth century . The latter , however , must not be considered in the light of a sudden revolutionary change , inasmuch as many indications occur in the castles of the twelfth century which exhibit a tendency to break through the conventionalism then prevailing , and to produce works of a more complex character, suited to the progress in military methods of attack . The introduction of the Cylindrical Keep was one of these innova tions ; although it did not remedy the great 101 1 02 THE CYLINDRICAL KEEP

o f fault inherent in Keeps generally, viz . that impotence with regard to driving o ff the be

s iegers , yet it furnished a method which enabled the builder to effect a considerable economy in

material and labour , while at the same time affording that strenuous passive resistance to

as sault which characterised the former styles .

It is probable that King Henry II . was chiefly responsible for the introduction o f the Cylindrical

o f Keep , as by reason his French birth he was acquainted with a number of foreign castles

having citadels built upon this plan . These Cylindr ical Keeps were likewise known as

ul iets Donjons and J , and attained to a degree o f perfection upon the Continent which was

never reached in the British Isles . The example

at Coucy is probably the finest abroad . The advantages which may be claimed fo r the Cylindrical Keep , apart from its lessened

o f cost construction , are the increased solidity, f and the great di ficulty in breaching it, or bring ing it down by a mine . By vaulting each floor the resistance o f the structure was increased ; by enclosing the upper part in a similar manner also , the danger o f fire from incendiary missiles n lau ched upon the roof was practically nullified .

1 04 THE CYLINDRICAL KEEP

o f to the lower . The unfinished appearance the tops o f many towers can be explained by their having been covered with a bretasche in no t former times , although this defence was kept in position permanently but usually built ul upon the approach o f danger . The machico is and alurs o f a later date were imitations in stone of the wooden bretasche . At Coucy these defences were placed about 1 8 0 feet from the ground , and the nerve displayed by the de fenders working at such a giddy height excites admiration . The introduction of machicolation proper into England occurred in the latter part of the thirteenth century and became a prominent feature at that period . The faults inherent in the bretasche were the feeble resistance which it offered to missiles launched from the mangonels o f the besiegers ; the destruction of one part by a well - aimed stone would naturally expose the remaining defenders to archery , besides seriously weakening the rest of the structure , which depended to a great extent upon its continuity for safety . Another weakness was the perishable nature o f the material , which required constant renova

1 06 THE CYLINDRICAL KEEP

nearly 3 0 feet in height, effectually prevent

any attempt at mining the Keep proper, which

stands a few feet within the second ring . It is

now only a shell, but timber flooring once divided 5 0 it into three stories . The walls are nearly 1 0 feet in height , about feet thick at the base, and stand in a ring whose diameter is nearly

20 feet . The open spaces around the Keep were formerly covered by roofing .

o f o f Richard , King the Romans and brother

Henry III . , is generally credited with raising the Launceston Keep and also the companion

R st rmel one at eo . The Keep at Barnard Castle is remarkable for the huge projecting triangular spur, which , springing from the soil , rises to

o f within a few feet the parapet . The floors 5 0 were vaulted . This circular Keep is about 40 P feet in height and feet wide . embroke

o n Keep, the other hand, rises without buttress or spur or concentric walling straight from a battering base at the ground - level to a height of about 7 0 feet to the spring o f the vaulted

’ roof . It trusted apparently to the enormous

o f 20 to thickness its walls , feet at the base, defy any attempts at mining . Coni s borough Cas tlepossesses the most re CONISBOROUGH KEEP 1 07

markable Keep o f the cylindrical type in the

o f British Isles, both by reason its extraordinary plan and rare contour . It is a gigantic cylinder 7 0 nearly feet in diameter, and tapering upwards

o f 9 0 to a height over feet . Upon the exterior six enormous buttresses are arranged symmetric

9 r ally round the face, proj ecting feet f om the surface and being 1 6 feet wide where they support the c yli n der . Th ey diminish in width , however , as they f recede rom it . The s e buttresses G D A I G EEP ROUN PL N OF CON SBOROU H K . are carried up the

o f whole height the Keep, and thus , combined as they are with a massive base of masonry upon which the tower stands , and forming an integral

o f 1 2 portion the wall which is about feet thick , we have what is probably the most efficient protection against the deadly mine ever devised as a protection to a British Castle . It may be compared to six enormous spurs , the blowing up o f o neo r even two but little affecting the stability o f the remainder . 1 08 THE CYLINDRICAL KEEP The entrance to the Keep is only a small square aperture placed in the first floor and approached by a long flight o f steps in which at one time a drawbridge occurred . The ground floor contains the well and is entered by means

I CON SBOROUG H .

of a trap door in the vaulted ceiling . The buttresses are excavated in places to form in chambers, and one is situated the oratory

c I vanh e i des ribed by Scott in o . It is beaut in fully vaulted the Early English style , with carved capitals and bases to the supporting

o f Shafts . This grand relic the feudal period

o f was probably built in the reign Richard I .

C HAP T E R VIII

CONC NTR C CAST C 1 25 0 THE THE E I LE , . , TO CASTELLATED MANSION P ERIOD

THE inception o f the concentric idea in castell a tion must not be ascribed to the English builders

o f o f the second half the thirteenth century , inasmuch as the plan is essentially oriental and 1 200 appeared in the Levant before . Thus

a . 1 1 9 6 Ch teau Gaillard , built by Richard I in

o f upon the banks the Seine near Les Andelys ,

co ncentrl c is based essentially upon the type , though it does not absolutely conform to that

o f ideal owing to the configuration the ground . That crusading monarch was among the first to recognise the possibilities o f the Saracenic form and based this castle upon it . Upon the only side where it could be attacked it offered first eu an outer triangular shaped ward , with an

circling wall , having five towers upon its enceinte . no CHATEAU GAILLARD 1 1 1

Between this and the second ward was a fo rmid 3 0 in able ditch , feet depth , the wall standing upon the brink o f the scarp ; this second ward was o f large dimensions with five towers upon its walls , which were practically built upon the

o edge f precipices . It was roughly hexagonal in

Shape and contained the inner ward , partially circular in outline and surrounded by a ditch . The walls of this ward were lofty and faced with bastions segmental in plan , thus embodying the prevailing belief that angles and corners were more vulnerable than curved surfaces . Inside this ward stood the Keep , forming the fourth

o f successive line defence to be overcome . The

Keep or Donjon is splayed outwards at the base , a device often adopted for projecting missiles among the assailants when dropped from above , P and also for greater strength . robably the earliest examples of machicoulis are found upon this Keep . This formidable fortress fell by a

o f combination of mining , filling up the great ditch , battering the Keep , and escalading the inner ward , after pounding the curtain walls with perriers . The thousands of warriors returning from the many crusades were well acquainted with the 1 1 2 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

Concentric Castle, having in many cases been detained before the walls of an eastern city built ffi upon a similar design . The di culty and danger in attacking such a place were well known to

o f them , and we can only ascribe the question cost as the chief reason for the non - adoption o f the idea at an earlier period . At Constantinople the crusading hosts before the city found themselves confronted by a comparatively low fortified wall , bristling with impediments ; within it , at the distance of some l hundreds of feet, arose another and ta ler wall , while beyond that again a third wall , the highest of all , appeared . These walls extended for more than three miles upon the western side , with o ne hundred towers ; all were embattled , and they offered a stupendous scene to the wondering eyes of the Crusaders as they vanished in grand perspective into the distance . There is no castle in England which presents more than three hundred yards of continual front . The capture o f the first defence of the eastern capital by no means imperilled the integrity of the second , while the prospective losses of the assailants when confined in the narrow space between the first and second lines was appalling to co n

PRINCIPLES THE CONCENTRIC IDEAL 1 1 3

ffi template . The same di culty would occur with

regard to the second and third lines of defence , and it is small wonder that the leaders paused in a projected attack upon so formidable an

obstacle . The essential principles underlying the con struction of a castle erected upon the concentric plan were 1 . That the natural features of the selected site should be adapted and made part of the

defences , and that no rigid plan of the ground

occupied , based upon former principles of

castellation , should be strictly followed .

2 o f . That a series defences independent and complete in themselves should be presented in

to o f turn an assault, the capture one by no

o f means entailing that another . The castle - builders of the second half of the thirteenth century rigidly adhered to the principles embodied in the first clause given above ; they did no t produce a structure o f the

- Motte and Bailey, or the Keep and Base court

types , with little regard to the situation and

o f configuration the ground , but made their

plans with the utmost care , embracing every advantage which the site presented . As a 15 1 1 4 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE necessary sequence the ground plan o f o ne

Concentric Castle differs from every other , and it is only by a general summary o f the ideas prevailing that any comparison can be made . The second clause natur ally suggested a con centric plan whereby each defence was placed within the other, the strongest of all naturally

o f being in the centre . But as most the English castles were rendered concentric by means o f additions to buildings previously existing, the pur e concentric ideal is seldom reached except in those structures reared entirely at that period , the others attained it more o r less by developing conditions already obtaining . The ideal concentric outline may be gleaned from the accompanying plan , where the three t en rances are a special feature , each being placed

o ne as far as possible from the adj acent . By this device the assailants who had managed to capture the outer enceinte would be compelled to pass under o nehalf o f the second line o f towers and curtain walls before reaching the entrance pierced through them , being all the time subj ected to a plunging fire o f deadly missiles . The same would occur if the second w line ere captured . The gates were in all cases

1 1 6 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

captured the inner portcullis or portcullises had

to be forced , but the assailants would in the meantime be subjected to a galling discharge o f arrows and bolts from the narrow loopholes

o n e w e s ither side , hich were pierc d in the wall o f rooms whose only entrances were from the

ne ur in r co tyard or from the ramparts . In the vaulted roof of thepassage also circular opening s ” u me o r d were b ilt , ter d meurtriers , mur erers , e d through which melt d lea , hot water or oil , and other liquids could be poured upon the

n o f F th struggli g mass assailants below . rom e formidable nature of the defence it may readily be understood that direct as saults of castles u the m d built pon concentric ideal were li ite , the besiegers contenting themselves with waiting u had d ntil famine one its work , or treachery within the walls allowed them to enter . The n n ne project of capturi g three stro g castles , o w was fi ithin the other , a prospect suf cient to d d m nd l as aunt any or inary co ma er , and so ong the besieged could count upon a friendly army

thei o f n in f eld outside , the loyalty the garriso ,

es and a plentiful supply of provisions , the fortr s m m ight be relied upon to aintain its integrity . It was during this period that machicoulis and MACHICOULIS AND ALURS 1 1 7 alurs reach ed th eir highest effi ciency and develop and u ment , in every castle b ilt after 1 25 0 th ey may be found wherever extr a strength en in th ed e g of ef nce was desirable . In some illustr ated medieval romances of the second part of th ethirteenth century t hecastle is w h d i al h at depicted it these ad it ons , t ough times th eperspective indulged in by th ear tist is somewhat d ma isconcerting . Where chi i n t ad e colat on was o opt d , probably by reason o f the ex n al n pe se , the w ls were ge er al ly corbelled outwards at theupper parts of towers and

al th us lV l l macutoo uus S UPPORTING w ls , g l g a more N “ mm effecti ve control over th e bases o f th ese structures where mining or batter

a t B attlem ntin was ing might be ttemp ed . e g

al an o f e th e almost univers , d the system pi rcing merlons with arbales trariamay be assigned a d t u a th e to this e rly ate , al ho gh not re ching full development it subsequently met with in th e I t ma Edwardian Castl es of Wales . y be seen in illustrated manuscripts in theform o f

r l simple ci cular openings in t hemer ons . The 1 1 8 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE protection of loopholes and windows by a hang ing shield is likewise illustrated ; it prevented the admission of arrows and bolts discharged with a high trajectory . The maximum development of the art of castle -building in the British Isles occurred in the reign of Edward I . and is exhibited in its best form in those magnificent buildings which he erected in Wales to consolidate the conquest of that country . With the great Snowdonian range as the centre he placed a ring o f fortresses at those strategic points , chosen with remarkable ul military perspicacity , where they wo d be of the utmost advantage in commanding the widest

o f stretch country . Criccieth and Harlech , standing upon the sites of previous strongholds , and Conway and Carnarvon upon entirely new

o f ground , are the most prominent and famous ” this encircling ring . The term Edwardian , however, for a Concentric Castle so frequently used , is a misnomer , because some of the grandest examples of the style date from the time of

o f Henry III . ; the outer ward the Tower o f

London , for example , rendered it concentric in 1 240 1 2 5 8 to . The Cas tleof Harlech approaches the concentric

1 20 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

- Wars of the Roses , when the soul stirring March

o f the Men of Harlech was penned , the Castle

was summoned to surrender by the Yorkists ,

but the Constable of the time , a doughty Welsh

man , held out for the Lancastrian cause and made a most protracted resistance in the cam ai n 1 47 4 p g of , Harlech being the last fortress

to surrender in that great struggle . In the

Civil War it maintained its reputation , but was

’ - in- finally delivered up to Cromwell s brother law .

Conwa Cas tleo ne y , of the most impressive and maj estic of medieval fortresses in Britain , is situated in a romantic and picturesque spot at the mouth of the river Conway . It presents

o f a perfect ideal a fortress and a fortified town , the massive accompanying walls of the latter forming an integral portion of the defence as a whole . The town walls are over a mile in length and are in a singularly good state o f

o ne preservation ; there are twenty towers , arranged at regular intervals along this enceinte ,

o ne f and four gates , over of which is a row o machicoulis , twelve in number, proj ecting from

o f the upper part the wall . It was also protected by a dry ditch and with drawbridges placed before the gateways .

1 22 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

lodgment in Flint Castle followed . The edifice suffered but little during the Wars o f the Roses

Henry VII . repaired it where decay had taken t place , and it practically remained in act until the Great Rebellion , when it suffered from two 1 6 6 5 Sieges , and shortly afterwards , in , was despoiled of its timber, lead , and iron , and reduced to its present condition . The excellence of the masonry which characterises the Edwardian castles in Wales is perhaps in no way "better exemplified than at Conway, where a portion of the base o f a tower o n the south side fell o ut bodily in recent times through being undermined , and gave much trouble before it could be broken up . It has Since been restored . The protection o f the Castle is no w in the hands o f the town authorities of Conway . B eaumari s Cas tle was erected by King 1 2 9 5 Edward I . about , and approximates more to the concentric ideal than perhaps any other c astle in Britain . The outer enceinte is an almost regular octagon , strengthened by towers at each o f the angles and in the centre o f each

o ne curtain , excepting the in which the entrance gateway is placed . The inner enceinte is square

o f in shape and very great height , thus com BEAUMARIS CASTLE 1 23

manding the ramparts of the outer ; it has

the usual towers , of immense strength , and is

finished with a grand array of battlements . Its position probably detracts from impressive ness , for it was designed to have the moat surrounding it filled with water at every tide

from the Menai Strait , and this necessitated the selection o f low ground for a site . By the arrangement of the walls two baileys are formed , the inner and outer , and the Castle affords an example o f a fortress built upon the concentric ideal where the ground does not modify the detail in any way . Carnarvon Cas tlemay be confidently claimed as the finest example of its type in Europe . It stands upon a site previously unoccupi ed and I was commenced by King Edward . , who raised ffi the walls su ciently high to cover the garrison , and completed by his son , Edward who carried the walls and towers to their present

o f altitude . It is built limestone blocks with

- o f - string course bands dark brown sandstone , the mouldings , doorways , and other ornamental portions also being o f the same material . The plan o f the Castle approaches that of a kidney

o f form , the whole the space enclosed forming 1 2 4 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

o neward in contradistinction to that at Conway, which I s subdivided ; as the ancient town o f

Carnarvon was surrounded by massive walls , a large portions o f which still remain , the are so enclosed may be looked upon as the outer bailey . Although the enceinte o f the Castle is plenti fully supplied with towers which undoubtedly for m th e ch i e f feature o f its pic t ur es quea p p ear

to ance , yet it is be questioned if the latter added very materially to its M E LO I E ED IT I E T R N P RC W H O LL . powers o f resistance

s when compared with the walls , which are in place

1 5 o f over feet in thickness , and very great

1 00 co n height, often over feet . These walls tain , at the points most vulnerable to an attack , a double line of galleries traversing the thick ness and leading easily into each other for

o f mutual support . The outer walls these passages are plentifully supplied with loopholes , and as the merlons upon the battlements are also

r o f pie ced with oillets , a triple discharge quarrels

1 26 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE It narrowly escaped demolition at that period which proved so fatal to all castles in Britain , but, although the order was issued , the carrying

o f . out was delayed , and the accession Charles II h in 1 6 6 0 nullified it . The chief arc itectural beauty is perhaps the Eagle Tower, crowned with its three graceful turrets and boasting of the birth within its walls o f the first Prince of

Wales , but the traditional apartment is still problematical . Al though as we have seen the Concentric Castle is usually associated with the reign o f I Edward . , and the formidable strongholds in North Wales are generally cited as the per fectio n of the type , yet earlier attempts at the a ideal had been made in Brit in , and in no greater perfection than at the well- known Castle o f

Caerphilly in Glamorganshire , completed a year before the King came to the throne . From a military point o f v 1ew It is the grandest example

o ur of the concentric ideal in islands , and it is perhaps to be deplored that this embodiment o f a medieval fortress has never been subjected to

o f the stern arbitrament war , and that no great military renown is associated with its history . 1 6 48 It was only assailed once , in , when the CAE RPHILLY CASTLE 1 2 7 Parliamentarians wreaked their traditional de structive tendencies upon it . It was erected and completed in 1 2 7 1 by

Gilbert de Clare , Earl of Gloucester, and stands upon a mound o f gravel in the middle o f an

two artificial lake , produced by damming up

E E CA RPHILLY CASTL .

F r n r t ( om aold p i n . ) water- courses and turning the contents of a m arsh into the catchment basin thus formed . The curtain of the middle ward is o f no great

o f height, that the inner ward being thus able to dominate it . The outer ward is essentially

wo é - du- d t t te on . ivided into , each forming a p t

The eastern portion , and the smaller, has a 1 28 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

curtain 1 5 feet in height and a moat of its own , the island thus formed being approached through

two gatehouses from the land side , and joined

to the inner ward by drawbridges . The western and outer ward is much more important than

téte- du- ont the eastern . It acts as a p the same

as its companion , but contains also the chief

approach to the Castle , two conspicuous towers

o f standing on either Side a narrow entrance ,

thus forming a strong gatehouse . From it curtain walls o f great height branch o ff o neither

side , washed by the waters of the lake , and

- sundry half drum towers , and other buildings have been built abutting upon the defensive wall . Thus any assailants would have most formidable obstacles to encounter on attacking

o r two either the eastern western faces , moats and three successive lines of walling being opposed to their efforts . The immediate obj ect of its erection was to

overawe the Welsh Marches , but these had been reduced to order almost at the same time it was built ; subsequently it but served to consolidate the peace thus secured .

A still earlier example , though not perhaps

embodying all the conditions of the type , is

KIDWELLY CASTLE 1 29 to be found in the neighbouring county o f

co m Carmarthen . Kidwelly Castle occupies a manding position upon Carmarthen Bay near

o f Gwendraeth the estuary the river . The stream here is o f considerable width and the eastern side Of the castle is built upon the edge

O U T E R W A aQ

G ATE:

ID E T E M T E I E K W LLY CAS L , CAR AR H NSH R . o f the steep slope leading down to it ; consequently no fear of an assaul t was to be apprehended from that quarter, and a curtain wall of no great

s ufli cient height was deemed for the defence .

o f This wall formed the string a bow as it were , and the semicircul ar portion defending the land

Side had to rely upon other obstacles , such as a deep moat and a curtain set with towers The 1 3 0 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE entrance gateway is at the southern termination of the wall and consists o f two towers with a building between containing the passage ; it affords rooms for soldiers on duty with two stories above , all the masonry being of the most solid description . This entrance gave upon the outer ward . The inner ward consisted o f a square enclosure abutting upon the centre of the river line : it is protected by high curtains strengthened by the usual towers . It will be perceived that the deviation from the concentric consists in the coincidence of the east wall of the inner bailey with a portion of that of the outer . 1 25 0 P Its foundation dates from , when ayn de

Chaworth reared it . t No far from Llandeilo , a village near Car marth en , stand the remains of a Concentric Castle around which local tradition has woven a web of romance , asserting that all history is lost in remote antiquity and leadi ng the imagination to run riot in conjuring up the identity of its former inmates . Upon the south side the walls stand upon a precipice with a sheer drop of 5 00 W probably feet , hile a climb of over 200 feet is necessary to reach the northern face . It is called Carreg Cennen and occupies the summit

1 3 2 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

by no means undeserved . There is hardly a

prominent position upon the coast, or a suitable

site inland , but what has been seized upon at

some period to erect a position of defence .

P e okeCas tle mbr , with the town walls support

ing it, is perhaps the most important pile to be found in this district ; it embodies additions o f

varying dates in its massive walls and towers . The great gatehouse and circular Norman Keep are undoubtedl y its chief attractions at the

present day when , although shattered by powder

’ o f after Cromwell s capture by means starvation ,

o ne and much subsequent spoliation , it presents o f the most imposing aspects to be found in the

kingdom . Carew Cas tleis deservedly celebrated for picturesqueness and affords an illustration of the use o f the angle - spur at the foot o f drum

o t wers as a preventive against mining . Ci lgerran Cas tleoccupies a position which

is probably unparalleled in South Wales . It

approaches very closely to the Edwardian type , but the area chosen has not entirely dominated the plan ; it once possessed an inner and outer bailey with a great portcullised gatehouse and

two o f massive cylindrical towers , which still THE LAND OF CASTLES 1 3 3

P stand . embrokeshire is essentially the centre

- of the castle land of Wales , for besides those

Nar mentioned there are Manorbier, Lamphey,

Llawhaddo n berth , Haverfordwest, , Roche and

o f many others , most them exhibiting traces of

as N Edwardian influence b ed upon orman work . In the upper valley o f the Wye the efficiency

o f of castles was great importance, inasmuch as they guarded one of the great lines of incursion from the heart of Wales into the Marches here Edwardian additions may be seen at Builth where a donjon was placed upon a motte which had already been encircled by a Shell Keep , while a circular rampart surrounding the whole bailey made a very presentable representation of the concentric ideal . At Bronllys , farther to the south , a cylindrical tower was the chief addition , while at Tretower, still farther south near Crickhowell , a Shell Keep appears to have been inserted within the remains of a previous

Rectangular Keep defending the motte .

TheTower o London— f This great fortress , palace , and prison , unique among the castles of

England , dates from the time of William the Con

uero r q . The site occupied a position upon the river Thames immediately to the east of Roman 1 3 4 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

London ; the latter was surrounded by massive walls with mural towers which had subsequently been repaired by Alfred the Great . A portion of this walling undoubtedly furnished part of the

o f N western defence the orman citadel , inas much as remains have been found adj acent to the present Wakefield Tower . The wall thus adapted extended between two bastions , and possibly the

first enclosure was merely stockaded .

It was , however, necessary to erect a more substantial fortress in order to overawe as 1 07 8 well as protect London , and in , William Gundulf entrusted , the architect bishop of

Rochester, with the commission . The great Keeps at Rochester and West Malling were also designed by him , and possibly he had much to N do with those at orwich , Colchester , and other places in England . To this period may also be ascribed some of the towers and part o f the massive curtain wall lying to the west o f the inner ward or ballium which at that period contained the royal palace , apartments for the court, and dwellings for the garrison . Possibly a narrow ditch encircled the walls on the inner line of the present spacious moat . 1 1 5 5 In , the buildings were repaired by

1 3 6 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE As the Tower of London has been inextricably involved in the major portion o f events forming

the history of England , it is obviously impossible to deal even in a cursory manner with them

o f within the confines this work . A few facts ,

o f however , relating to the Keep may be interest , as it is undoubtedly the most ancient portion o f a 1 1 8 the structure . It is rect ngular in shape , feet long by 1 07 feet broad ; it rises to a height o f 9 0 feet at the battlements and contains three N stories . The usual orman pilaster buttresses

occur , those at the angles being continued

upwards into three of the square turrets , while the remaining corner supports a large proj ecting th e circular turret containing main staircase .

o f The walls are enormous thickness, ranging 1 2 1 5 from to feet , and as usual the building is divided into two portions by a wall 1 0 feet

thick, rising to the maximum height of the

building .

The floors were originally of wood , but when Sir Christopher Wren destroyed the ancient

ur o f interior feat es the Keep , great brick vaul ts

’ were built in the lower portion . St . John s Chapel is a magnificent gem of Early Norman ecclesiastical architecture ; it stands upon the

1 3 8 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE marked more than once with touches of the tragic . The remains of its cyclopean walls and towers now lie in mighty masses over its slopes , and tell eloquently of a day when destruction only seemed to occupy the minds of men , and all that was great and beautiful from the fore going ages was marked o ut for desolation and P ruin . erhaps no castle in England has suffered f so much as that o Corfe . Its site is connected by history with the

Saxon dynasty, for King Edgar is said to have founded it ; and here the tragic deed was per

r ted pet a by which it is popularly known , when his son Edward the Martyr , King of the West a Saxons , was treacherously murdered by Elfrid

- was his step mother . Such an unholy deed

i o f a sinister ncident in the birth a castle , and appears to have thrown a gloom over its subsequent history . Four miles to the southward rises the bold

- coast line of the Dorset littoral , while northward is the great depression occupied by the waters o f u P oole Harbo r . It appears to have been successively a Saxon P N alace , then a orman , and afterwards an in Edwardian fortress . King Stephen besieged it CORFE CASTLE 1 3 9

1 1 3 9 , Earl Baldwin de Redvers having seized it for the Empress Maud . King John used it as an arsenal for military engines and stores , and here his foul crime of starving twenty-two knights and nobles to death , whom he had

Mireteau 1 203 captured at in , was committed .

- The wretched ex King Edward II . lived here for a time before his removal to Berkeley, and it appears to have been possessed by several important historical personages before it reverted 1 5 5 2 to the Crown in , when it was granted to

Sir Christopher Hatton . That family sold it in 1 6 3 5 to Sir John Bankes, the ancestor of the present owners . The notable defence of the castle for three years by Lady Bankes against the Commonwealth forces is one of those feats which stand out bravely against the somewhat

sordid history of that period . The Castle occupies an area o f about three N acres . The orman work consists chiefly of a square Keep occupying the most elevated part o f hill P the , where possibly the Saxon alace had

been situated , and , with its enceinte , formed

the innermost ward of the Castle . It is about 6 8 0 0 feet square , and feet high , with the usual

flat pilasters ; the masonry is remarkably good, 1 40 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE formed o f large squared stones obtained from some hard beds in the vicinity . The floors and

r apparently the oof were of wood , and have now disappeared, while the battlements also are missing . On the east side of the Keep are the remains ’ o f f the Queen s hall o Early English work , and other buildings within the inner ward appear to be o f the same date . The gateway of the middle ward was overthrown by undermining , part of it

o ut o f has sunk and moved the perpendicular . The great curtain wall reaching between this gateway and the Keep is comparatively intact, and forms one o f the finest defences o f that description now remaining in Britain . The entrance to the outer ward has been sadl y wrecked the two drum towers have been blown

o f forwards by the explosive force gunpowder ,

1s the vaulting rent , and the adjacent wall to the

o f west overthrown . More than half the tower called the B uttavant Tower has been blown clean away , while the minor bastions and the encircling wall generally have either disappeared

o ut ul or been thrown of the perpendic ar .

to t. eto The order slight the Castle , . P dismantle it , was issued by the arliament in

1 42 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

divided into four courts or wards , while the whole area enclosed is about three acres . The principal

- living rooms overhung the river, where the great

’ Hall, kitchens , ladies apartments, etc . , were placed . This was a point of a quite inaccessible

o f character, and consequently permitted a

o f certain amount embellishment , such as large windows , etc . in the remainder of the enceinte , oillets and balistraria form the chief openings . The main entrance to the Castle is o n the N eastern side, under a fine orman arch flanked by two massive circular towers ; the passage was

meurtriéres guarded by a portcullis , and two in

N o t the groining . far from this entrance the

o f lesser Hall is placed . The Clare family, Earls P N embroke , were the earliest orman owners o f - Chepstow , after William Fitz Osborne the founder, the last of whom , Richard Strongbow, is well known in connection with the Conquest o f 2 Ireland in 1 1 7 . His daughter Isabel married o ne f o the Bigot family , and subsequently it

o f passed to Sir Charles Somerset, Earl Worcester, from whom it has descended to the present f o . owner, the Duke Beaufort Chepstow saw much o f the Civil War , being held at first by the

Royalists , but it was assailed by Colonel Morgan LEEDS CASTLE 1 43

1 6 45 in and surrendered after a siege of four days . 1 6 48 It was again attacked in , when the governor ,

N K em s s Sir icholas y , and forty of the garrison were killed .

Leeds — o f . This castle is undoubtedly one the most picturesque in the British Isles , and

i ‘

M o at

G l o r uftc

M o at

(fl o at

L A TLE K E NT . E ED S C S , its beautiful natural surroundings are enhanced by a rich history extending back to the Saxon

o f P eriod . Here Ethelbert Kent raised a forti

atio n fic which was given to Bishop Odoeat the o Conquest and , at his fall , came into the Cr vec eur N . family, who began the orman building It ’ remained in their hands until the Barons War it when it reverted to the Crown , with whom THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

00 . r emained for about 3 years Edward VI . 1 5 5 0 gave it to Sir Anthony St . Leger about , and his descendants sold it to Sir Richard

s Smith . It subsequently came into the pos es

Co leeer s ion o f the p p family, from whom are

descended the Martins , the present owners . Among the many historical associations co n nected with the Castle is that of the frail Queen

. o ne Isabella , wife of Edward II She appeared evening before the gateway with a large force o f attendants and demanded admission ; under

the circumstances then obtaining the Governor ,

Coleeer S ir Thomas p p , thought fit to refuse , ’ being without the king s orders , and , upon a f display o force , saluted the visitors with a s hower o f arrows . She repaired to the king and so influenced him that the Castle was be s ieged and captured ; the Castellan was hanged o ver the drawbridge with eleven others . At

Leeds Henry V . received the Emperor Sigis mund and imprisoned his step - mother Joan for practising witchcraft ; subsequently, Eleanor ,

' th eW1feof good Duke Humphrey of Glo u c ester , was tried here for the same offence in

1 43 1 . The position of this castle was an exceedingly

LEEDS CASTLE 1 45 suitable one in those days when water was

o f c deemed the chief method defence . It o cupies two natural rocky islands , one in the centre of a lake , and one in an artificial one on the mainland made by sluices and ditches upon which was placed the Barbicans . The Keep , or Gloriette , as it is here termed , may have been modelled o ut of N a late orman Shell Keep , but has been much

co n altered by additions and restorations . It tains a chapel built in 1 3 8 0 ; the wall s rise from the water to a considerable height and are arranged round a small middle court . In it ’ di - - are the ning hall , the Queen s bed chamber, and other domestic buildings, chiefly of the time of Henry VIII . From this island drawbridges permit of passage to the larger central island, around which a cur tain wall o f great strength has been built at the edge of the water with drum towers hi at the principal angles . Inside t s was a second and concentric wall , thus forming an

Inner and Outer Bailey, but only the southern gate of this has been preserved . It is probably o f late N orman work . The domestic buildings

o f occupied the northern end the inner area , now superseded by a splendid mansion standing 19 1 46 THE CONCENTRIC CASTLE

upon Norman foundations . Another drawbridge gives upon the artificial island upon the main

land previously mentioned, where the Inner

Barbican stood , and beyond this again was a strong and massive Outer Barbican .

C H A P TER IX

THE CASTELLATED MANS ION A N D MANOR - HOU SE

THE reason for the disuse o f castles is popularly attributed to the invention of gunpowder, but the introduction o f cannon can hardly be accepted

fo r as entirely responsible the decline , and we

fo r must therefore seek other reasons which , added to the first , eventually succeeded in effect ing their destruction and abandonment . The use o f gunpowder was introduced into England

o f in the first half the fourteenth century, the 1 3 2 7 first authentic date being , when Edward III . employed it in his campaign against the Scots . 1 3 3 9 The first reference by Froissart is in , cannon being specifically mentioned, while at Cressy in 1 3 46 there were a number of those weapons in

o f use . These early pieces were , however, small calibre and were provided with such indifferent powder that against the walls o f a castle they 1 47 1 48 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

were practically innocuous , and it was not until

o f o f the invention trunnions for cannon , and bombards capable o f throwing heavy spherical shot in the fifteenth century, that fortified places had anything to fear . But long before 1 3 2 7 the English castle had

o f begun to show signs falling into abeyance , in fact but very few new structures of that class were erected after the close o f the thirteenth century, and those that did spring into existence no longer exhibited the overwhelming strength and powers o f resistance which stamped the erections of the preceding century . When pro n 1 3 3 7 s ecuti . g his war with France , Edward III , in , endeavoured to leave the Kingdom in as defen sible a condition as possible during his absence , and with that obj ect in view ordered the keepers o f the Royal castles to put their respective

firs t - charges into class order . In spite of this a report upon their efficiency a few years later revealed the fact that several were utterly unfit 1 3 22 to withstand a siege . In , when the incensed

to Edward II . raised forces to avenge the insult his queen by Bartholomew de Badlesmere at

Leeds Castle , and quickly captured that place ,

Tickhill , Warwick , Tutbury , and others , the ease

1 5 0 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

also because the King, by his overwhelming u numbers , could easily capt re it . The art o f war had also changed consequent chiefly upon the extraordinary efficiency dis played by the English archer , whereby he became supreme upon the field o f battle : the develop ment o f this superb infantry was under the

o f co n e entire management the Crown and , s quently, the King became immeasurably superior in striking strength to any individual baron . The advantage began to rest with him who could f put the most e ficient battalions in the field , and not as formerly with the one who owned the greatest number of castles . Combined with these conditions there was the indubitable fact that a castle had acquired the reputation o f being connected with oppression of the people ,

to resistance lawful power, and a refuge from w justice for the rongdoer . This was entirely incompatible with the great reforms insisted upon I by Edward . , and passed into law by parlia ment ; law and order became the rule and not e the xception , and the position of the castle grew anomalous . With the ascendancy of an effi cient ad ministration o f justice came the desire for co m

1 5 2 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION supported by an army in active operation in the

no field , had more to fear from an attack in the

fifteenth century than it had in the thirteenth , perhaps not so much . Very few bombards of the period mentioned could throw stone shot

1 5 0 . weighing over lbs , whereas the medieval trebuchet could hurl a missile of twice that

o r weight, even more , and to almost as great a

o f - distance . The effect low traj ectory cannon upon castle walls in the fifteenth century under ordinary conditions may almost be left o ut o f consideration , so small was the calibre . It is true that Sir Ralph Grey , when besieged in

B ambo ro u h 1 46 4 g Castle in , was forced to sur render in a short space o f time by the army o f the Kingmaker , who used his basilisks , aspiks , serpentines , dragons , syrens , and sakers with excellent effect ; but we may justly claim that

fi o f this was an exception , the con guration the ground enabling Warwick to place his pieces close up to the walls , while Grey could look fo r no effective relief from a sympathetic army t ou side . Ten years afterwards the Castle of

o f Da Harlech, under the able governance vydd a o ut p Ifan , held against all the force that Edward

to IV . could bring bear upon it, and was the last RESISTAN CE TO ARTILLERY 1 5 3 o f the castles garrisoned by Lancastrians to render up its keys . But perhaps the greatest argument against the belief that the venomous saltpetre was the chief cause of the decli ne in castellation is that of the gallant resistance made by many o f

o ld these strongholds in the Great Civil War .

At that time the newest of the castles was, perhaps , about two hundred years old and had not been constructed entirely for defence ; the older structures were in many cases devoid o f woodwork which had perished through age and neglect . Yet these ancient buildings , now once more called upon to play their part in deadly strife , in many cases showed a resistance to

attack which was simply marvellous , sometimes , P as in the case of embroke, defying the ordnance brought to bear upon them . If a Royalist army o f respectable proportions happened to be in the vi P cinity of a beleaguered fortress, the arlia mentarians appeared to regard its reduction as an impossibility, and in the first place devoted their entire attention to the dispersal of the

field force . It is true that the condition of the

unmetalled trackways , which were dignified by

the name of roads , at that time , presented almost 20 1 5 4 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

insuperable obstacles to the passage o f heavy

o f ordnance , and the advance a cumbrous

baggage train was at times an impossibility . But even if cannon o f respectable proportions could be brought against a castle in the Great

Civil War , the effects produced were in many cases o ut of all proportion to the enormous

trouble involved . Thus at the first siege o f Pontefract Castle in 1 6 44 a cannon throwing a

2 -lb 4 . shot was used in conjunction with another f 2 4 f 3 6 . o . o lbs and two lbs , the least being

9 lbs . , and yet the siege failed chiefly by reason o f the small effect produced by the 1 400 pro jectiles which were fired into it . Again although Scarborough Castle was quite ruinous in 1 6 44 when its siege commenced , and in addition was

- o r ill supplied with ammunition food , yet it gallantly sustained a siege lasting for twelve months . It may therefore be conceded from the fore going that the assertion respecting gunpowder causing the disuse o f the castle in the British Isles must be taken with a large degree o f reserva

co n tion , since many other causes have to be

ered sid , and even those who maintain the assertion must admit that the reason assigned

BRICK IN CASTELLATION 1 5 5 took an unconscionably long time in effecting

its object . In the very few castles which saw their origin during the fourteenth and fifteenth centur ies in

Britain , domestic comforts and attempts at effective defensive works appear to have run

side by side , often to the almost total exclusion o f the latter . The substitution of brick for stone masonry in many of these was in itself a w startling change , but when combined ith this , large and lofty apartments were introduced , many with magnificent carved and moulded

wooden ceilings , windows of large dimensions filled with beautiful tracery characteristic of

P r erpendicular architectu e , walls hung with rich tapestry and decorated with gorgeous heraldic

devices and trophies of arms , costly furniture and other fittings betokening an advanced educa — tion in domestic requirements , the feeling was borne in upon the minds of the nation that the

feudal castle , as such , had seen its day, and that the age o f the baronial residence and the manorial

- dwelling house had superseded it . In these later castellated residences the

kitchens , larders , cellars , dining halls , residential rooms and general offi ces became matters o f 1 5 6 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION

supreme moment, the defensive works of

secondary importance , but designed nevertheless with a view to impressiveness and an assumption

of strength which they rarely possessed . Within these lordly halls the noble owners held high

revel , while troops of servitors , henchmen , and servants of every degree swarmed in the passages and halls in marked contradistinction to the

l - at - o d time grim men arms , bearded archers , and steel - clad retainers of the feudal fortress There was naturally a period o f transition during which the characteristics o f the Castle

predominated over the domestic influences , and those which sprang into existence during the reigns of Henry IV . and V . very ably show this

feature . To this intermediate period we may ascribe those structur es which were chiefly reared by the spoils acquired upon the Continent by ” h o soldiers of fortune w followed the wars, and returning to their native land built palatial

fo r o ut o f residences themselves , their lawful ,

ill - o f o r . it may be , acquired , gains Many these were based upon designs which the adventur ers

o ur di had seen abroad , thus first example , Bo am , is a replica o f many castles which were to be found at the time of its erection in Gascony .

1 5 8 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION square towers which present beautiful examples of machicolation upon their summits . Upon

o r the opposite , south face , is the postern leading to the moat and defended by a massive square

o neo f tower, being nine in all surrounding the enclosure . The interior is now simply an empty shell, all the domestic buildings having been 1 6 43 destroyed by Sir William Waller in , after

Ar the siege of undel , although the Chapel and the chief apartments are capable o f being located . We have therefore simply the outer walls re maining o f a particularly fine castle o f the P erpendicular period . The entrance consists o f a vaulted passage with many openings for the discharge of missiles upon assailants while they were endeavouring to overcome the three portcullises and the massive wooden gate defending it . In addition to ordinary loopholes there are round holes fo r the discharge of harquebuses . The castle under went asiege by the Earl of Surrey in the reign o f o f Richard III . in consequence a descendant o f Lewkeno r Sir Thomas , into whose hands it had passed , proving obnoxious to the King . S hirbum Cas tleis also of the same type and very similar to Bodiam ; it dates from the year

1 6 0 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION passed into the hands of descendants of the Percy

Leco nfield family , and now is owned by Lord .

The building originally possessed five towers , o neat each corner and another over the entrance o n the south side , which still remains , together with the curtain wall and flanking towers . These present a very imposing appearance , but the general effect of the ruins suggests the castellated mansion of the Perpendicular period more than di the grim sternness of a me eval castle . The square corner towers appear singularly inade quate for an effective flanking fire , and no doubt the building relied for defence chiefly upon the broad moat which encompassed it upon three sides and the deep dry ditch defending the approach . Hever undoubtedly owes its fame partly to b its magnificent gatehouse , which forms y far the most impressive part of the structure , and partly to the rich store o f human interest im parted by its intimate connection with the ill fated Anne Boleyn . It was built in the reign

o f . Edward III by Sir William de Hever , whose daughter brought it to her husband , Lord Cobham .

In the time of Henry VI . , Sir Geoffrey Boleyn ,

o f Lord Mayor London , an opulent mercer,

1 6 2 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

Elizabethan period , but have been very ex tens iv ely restored by the present owner . Max s tokeis one of the very few castles which have come down to us without the expression dismantled by order of Parliament being

o f applied to it . It affords us an idea the beauty the face of England would present, so far as magnificent castles are concerned, if the forces of destruction and revolution had never been let

o ur . 1 3 46 loose upon fair isle It dates from ,

Cl nto n when William de y , Earl of Huntingdon , obtained licence to crenellate . The Duke of Buckingham owned and occupied it in 1 444 N 1 46 0 he was killed at orthampton in , and his

son Humphrey, Earl of Stafford , having died of wounds received at the First Battle o f St Albans 1 45 5 in , his grandson Henry succeeded him but 1 483 was beheaded without trial at Salisbury in .

Edward Stafford , however , succeeded to the estates in the reign of Henry VII his death 1 5 2 1 by beheading occurred on Tower Hill in . Maxstoke came to the Crown but was given by

Henry VIII . to Sir William Compton , from whose descendants it was purchased by the family of

Dilke in whose possession it still remains .

The gatehouse is in excellent preservation ,

1 6 4 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION

P afterwards Earl of embroke , and was beheaded

N 1 46 9 . at orthampton , The Castle came into 1 5 03 the possession of the Somersets in , the

ancestors of the present Duke of Beaufort . The fifth earl carried out extensive work upon

the pile , but shortly afterwards the demolition

of the Castle was ordered by the parliament . Probably the most striking feature of the Castle is the detached Keep lying to the left of the main

entrance , and called the Yellow Tower . It is

surrounded by a wide and deep moat , and was undoubtedly a formidable obstacle before being

. 1 6 46 slighted It underwent a vigorous siege in , when Sir Thomas Fairfax assailed it with a ammun large force . The garrison ran short of i

tion , and , the north wall being breached , a

capitulation ensued .

Hes tmonceaux s tle— r Ca . One of the finest ex

Hers tmo nceaux amples of the later castles is , in 1 440 Sussex , dating from the year . It has been described as the most perfect example of the ” mansion of a feudal lord in the south of England , 1 7 5 2 and , when visited by Walpole in , was in a

perfect state of preservation ; Grose , writing a

few decades later, gives a vivid description of

all the principal apartments , which seem to have HERS TMONCEAUX CASTLE 1 6 5

N o w suffered but little at that time . , however , when there is some rumour prevailing o f an

intended restoration , the building is in ruins ,

- roofless , ivy grown , and in many parts dismantled

- in by the falling of roofs and floors . It is built

o f the small bricks then in use , two inches or less in thickness they were brought to England

from Belgium , strange to say the art of brick making having apparently been lost since the

departure of the Romans . Belgian workmen were also brought over to erect it .

Sir Roger Fiennes , an Agincourt veteran , was the founder , and probably the site had t borne a previous for alice . Like Bodiam , erected

- some half century previously, the plan is quadri lateral , almost square , with four octagonal towers at the corners and three of pentagonal plan

strengthening the curtain walls . The gateway is one of the finest and most impressive in existence ; the towers which flank it rise over

8 0 feet in height , cylindrical at the upper parts

and superposed upon 5 0 feet of octagonal bases , with smaller turrets rising still higher above

them . A magnificent range of machicoulis with crenellation above protects the towers and the

curtain between , the merlons being pierced with 1 6 6 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION

oillets . A moat, long since dry, encircles the

i 1t building, a bridge spann ng at the principal entrance . There are three tiers of cross loop

ur holes , and below occ openings for matchlocks to defend the bridge . With the exception of the grand towers of the south gateway and

o f the shells some adj oining buildings , there are only broken arches and shattered walls , piers ,

no w and buttresses to be seen , and it is only by the description left by Grose and Walpole that the ichnography of the interior can be traced . Wyatt the architect is responsible for the vandal

to ism committed , as he dismantled the Castle furni sh material for the owner ’ s new residence adjacent . Although Hers tmo nceaux has never under “ gone any struggles in the fell arbitrament o f ” ul war , yet painf memories cling to the ruins .

Thomas Fiennes , the ninth Lord Dacre , succeeded to the estate at the age of seventeen . The youth had already laid the foundation o f a brilliant career at Court when an escapade , planned by himself and some madcap companions , whereby they essayed to play the role of poachers upon a

o f neighbouring estate , led to the death a keeper whom they encountered . His three companions

TATTERSHALL CASTLE 1 6 7 were arrested and hanged for murder near

Deptford Dacre was also tried and condemned , and the sentence was duly executed at Tyburn

1 5 41 - in , the young man being twenty fiveyears old at the time .

Tatters hall Cas tle , on the Witham in Lincoln

Her , stmo ncea shire is contemporary with ux , and constructed likewise of Flemish brick bonded with exquisite workmanship . The tower still standing contains four stories with a total altitude of 1 1 2 feet ; large Gothic -headed P windows occur filled with erpendicular tracery, and these windows are repeated on a smaller scale in the four octagonal towers which clamp the angles of the building . Massive timber balks once supported the various floors , and a number

- of carved chimney pieces are to be found . The 1 4 walls are about feet thick at the base , and many passages and apartments have been made in their thickness . The well in the base is covered by a massive arched crypt , upon which the Castle has been erected . But perhaps the most notable feature in this beautiful relic o f the past is the grand and markedly- perfect system o f machicolation combined with the bretasche , which is exemplified in the cornice 1 6 8 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

o f surmounting the tops the curtain walls . Upon massive stone corbels is built a substantial stone wall pierced with square apertures for an all - round fire with various arms in the floor o f the alur are the openings for dropping missiles upon assailants at the base of the walls ; above this again are the merlons and embrasures giving upon the battlement walk .

The Castle was erected by Ralph , Lord

V . Cromwell , treasurer to King Henry , whose vast wealth sought for an opening in which to display itself, and probably could not have done so more effectively than in the rearing o f a magnificent pile of buildings of which but a small portion , the tower described , now remains . In its later years it suffered a partial dismantling during the Commonwealth period , followed by a rifling in the eighteenth century similar to that

Hers tmo nceaux which overtook the sister castle of . After the middle o f the fifteenth century castles were no longer built, and we have to look to the fortified manor - house such as was designed by the Lord Cromwell above mentioned at Wing

field o r Ex bur h inN , Derbyshire, that at g orfolk these when surrounded by moats were capable o f

o f being placed in a good state defence , and many

A FOURTEENTH- CENTURY HAL L 1 6 9 a thrill ing tale is told of the Sieges they under went during the Civil War when the stout resistance they made was nearly or quite equal to the defence of the massive ramparts and

- cyclopean bastions of the earlier castle builder .

P en h P - s urs t lace. This was originally an em battled mansion of the fourteenth century, and gradually expanded by constant additions into an excellent example of a combined castle and

- a manorial dwelling house . The licence to crenellate is dated the fifteenth year of Edward

III . , and stands in the name of Sir John de Pultenee y . This opulent knight erected a stately mansion in the form of an irregular square as to plan . It reverted to the Crown in the reign of

r Hen y VI . and was held by the Duke of Bedford ,

Regent for a time , and then by his brother ,

Humphrey , Duke of Gloucester . The Staffords held it afterwards , but at the decease of the Duke o f Buckingham Edward VI . gave it to Ralph

Fane and then to Sir William Sydney , one of the heroes of Flodden Field . Its associations with Sir Philip Sydney form one of its chief claims

ubh c upon the p . The spacious Hall measures 6 0 feet in length by the same in height ; it is

40 feet wide , and is a grand example of 22 1 7 0 THE CASTELLATED MAN SION

- fourteenth century architecture . The beautiful windows reach from the floor to a considerable

’ height , the roof is open , there is a minstrels gallery, and an elaborate arrangement for the

fire in the middle of the Hall . Adjacent is a range of buildings much altered in the Eli za

’ bethan period , containing state rooms , the Queen s

- P drawing room , etc . ortions of the wall of a enceinte are to be found upon the south and e st .

h h m M ote— I g t a . This building is undoubtedly one of the most perfect examples of the co m bination o f domestic convenience with an

o f efficient system defence to be found in England . It stands about two miles from Ightham village in Kent in a deep hollow , through which runs a rivulet flowing into the moat surrounding the

I v o House , from which the latter takes its name . de Haut possessed the Mote in the reign of Henry

II . it reverted to the Crown for a time in the reign of Richard III . , but was restored to the family, and subsequently passed through the hands of many owners . The House appears to be of three di stinct periods , Edward II Henry VII . , and Elizabeth . The Hall is of the first period ; it has a slender stone arch to carry the roof and contains many

1 7 2 THE CASTELLATED MANSION

E E 3 0 . . feet in height The windows are in the .

style , and the corbels carrying the roof are of ’ the same period . The lord s apartment over

looked the Hall . It has been occupied by the

o f de Says , the Verduns , and ten generations

the Ludlows , the first of whom built the crenel

s lated parts . The prompt urrender of the Cavalier garrison to the Parliamentarian army is no doubt responsible for the fact that no destruction of the House occurred at that critical

time . The examples given of the Castellated Mansion and fortified Manor - House are necessarily meagre

in number , and many more , such as Broughton

Castle in Oxfordshire , Sudley in Gloucestershire ,

Win field r g Manor, Derbyshire ; Hilton , Du ham ; Wh Hampton Court, Hereford ; itton , Durham , etc . , call for remark if the exigencies of space

permitted . C HAP TE R X

THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND — P rehi s tori c and other E arthworks The numerous remains of strongholds and defensive works of a prehistoric character readily fall as a rule under one of the divisions used in describing the English examples . They are usually of a circular or oval formation , and where irregular the shape has been determined by the site .

- The Hill forts , known as Vitrified Forts , are , al however, not represented in England, and, though found in a few places upon the Continent, appear to have been chiefly developed in Scot land . By some means , not definitely determined as yet, the walls of these strongholds have been subjected to intense heat, whereby the stones have become plastic , and amalgamated when cool into one coherent mass . It is unnecessary to dilate upon the obvious advantages which 1 7 3 1 7 4 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAN D a homogeneous defence of this natur e would possess . These forts chiefly lie in a broad band between the Moray Firth and Argyle and

Wigtown , and are generally constructed of igneous rocks ; when provided with a suitable fl ux o f alkali in the form o f wood - ashes or sea weed acomparatively moderate heat would be s f u ficient to cause fusion . The walls of Vitrified Forts are o f about half the thickness of un vitrified, and appear to belong to the Late Celtic

Age .

B rochs are also peculiar to Scotland . They are - massive , tower like buildings, chiefly occurring in the northern counties and upon the islands ; they are remarkably similar in outline and con struction , and they have been ascribed chrono logically to the period immediately before o r a fter the Roman occupation of Britain , and as o f being essentially Celtic . The Broch Mousa is generally believed to be the most perfect

example extant ; it is in Shetland , and consists o f a wall 1 5 feet thick enclosing a court 20 feet 45 in diameter . The wall is about feet in height and contains a solitary entrance , narrow and

. n low In the thick ess of the wall , and approached

by three internal openings , are chambers , while

1 7 6 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND o f castellation proper in the northern kingdom into four distinct periods — — F P ei od 1 1 00 1 3 00. i rs t r , The roving spirit and warlike disposition of the Normans prompted their adventurers to penetrate into the fast N nesses of the orth , where the innovations they introduced made them acceptable in the main to the inhabitants . They taught the latter how to raise towers of a design based upon the Rectangular Keep , with thick cemented walls , and many of the great fortresses , such as

Edinburgh , Stirling , and Dumbarton , originated at this time . The early type of Keep was quadrangular in plan with towers at the angles , which were sometimes detached from the main building and placed upon short curtain walls ; but some were naturally modified or specially adapted to the site like those of Home and

Loch Doon . The use of water as a defence was recognised at an early stage ; some towers were placed on islands in lakes , and most of them

were furnished with moats and ditches . At this period castles were seldom placed upon high

promontories . The workmanship was as a

rule poor , rough , and crude , but some exceptions

K ildrummie occur like and Dirleton . THE PEEL TOWER PERIOD 1 7 7

S econd P eri od 1 3 00—1 400 — , . The years of this century were marked in Scotland by anarchy, war , and bloodshed , which devastated the kingdom and placed the arts of peace in complete

o t abeyance , while p ver y was universal . The period was consequently unfavourable for the a erection of Scottish castles upon a large sc le , but many scores of small Keeps sprang into a existence . Bruce was ant gonistic to the build ing of large and roomy castles , arguing that their captur e by an invader would give him a standing in the country which otherwise he would not possess . The towers erected were based upon the

Norman Keep ; they were of stone throughout, so that their destruction by fire was impossible . Their walls were so thick and massive that restoration after a siege was easy . The base ment was always vaulted , and was intended for storage purposes and the herding of cattle in an emergency . As a general rule it had no interior communication with the upper floors ,

- but trap doors are not unknown . The entrance to the building was on the first storey through a narrow door reached by a ladder ; it gave upon

the Hall , the chief apartment, where all dined 2 3 1 7 8 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND

in common , and the household slept , a sub sidiary half floor being constructed above for this purpose . The second floor was the private apartment of the chieftain and his family, and was also provided with a wooden gallery for sleeping purposes . The roof was a pointed arch rest ing solidl y upon the walls and

covered with stone slabs . At the angles of the building barti

zans were usually built, although

I rounded corners like those at

L‘ ’ ‘ T N eidpath and Drum sometimes

occur . In the massive walls

spiral staircases , small rooms , A TIZ AN B R ‘ cupboards , and other co nv eni ences were arranged . Round the Tower a wall was generally erected , within which the stables ,

ffi . o ces , and kitchens were built In the wall of the Tower itself, and sometimes below the level of the ground , the universal pit or prison was built , ventilated by a shaft carried upwards

o f l in the thickness the wa l . At times the battlements were provided with parapets resting upon corbels but executed in a crude manner . The century in question s aw numerous castles

THE QUADRAN GULAR CASTLES 1 7 9 o f this type come into existence , all based upon the same plan , that of the king differing only in size from that of the small chieftain . The largest 40 6 0 are from to feet square , but the majority are much smaller . These Keeps formed nuclei for subsequent additions as at Loch Leven ,

Craigmillar, Campbell , and Aros , and many of them served as ordinary residences down to the seventeenth century, long after the tide of war had passed . d P e d 1 400—1 5 5 0 — Thi r ri o , . With the coming o f peace and a period of commercial and in

us trial d prosperity, the nobles of Scotland were able to observe the progress of castellation around them in England and France , and began to adopt the styles which they found in those

o f countries . A type castle appeared based like

- that of B o dium upon a French ideal , the building of a high embattled wall strengthened with towers around a quadrangular space . This

plan , derived from the Concentric ideal , was adopted for the largest castles , such as Stirling, which is the most perfect example of a court

yard plan , and Tantallon . In the smaller castles the Hall is placed in the

centre with the kitchen, pantry, and buttery 1 80 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAN D

’ adjoining it , and the lord s solar and private

i - apartments at the da s end . The wine vaults and cellars are built beneath , while the bedrooms

occur above . In contrast to the English build

o f o f ings the period , the question defence was the dominating idea in spite o f the altered

r conditions of better living and increased luxuy . Many plain and simple Keeps were also built

during this period .

F ourth P eri od after 1 5 5 0 — , . The development of artillery led to alterations being made in

o f castellation , while the progress the Reforma tio n gradually intro duced the fortified mansion

- P and Manor House . Many small Keeps , or eel

Towers , were built , however , chiefly on the

Border . Ornamentation up to this period had um been conspicuously absent , but now it ass ed

a very high importance. Corbelling became

—flo o rs almost a mania , , windows , parapets , a chimneys , and other det ils proj ecting to an e exc ssive distance in order to enhance the effect . The bartizans were covered with high conical

roofs , and turrets similarly ornamented became t Th e a prominent s yle . accommodation in the upper floors was greatly increased when co m

pared with the basement , through the excess

1 82 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND various other apartments occupy the eastern f portion o the Bailey .

N eidpath Cas tle(2nd P eri od) Neidpath Castle is situated upon elevated land overlooking a winding of the Tweed . It L was built upon the plan , probably in the

r t fou eenth century, being a main central tower of the Keep type with a square proj ection o f considerable size attached to one side . The walls are 1 1 feet in thickness and the original

o n door was the basement floor facing the river , a departure from the general rule . A spiral stair gave access to the upper storeys . The

Tower was originally of enormous strength , being really two immense vaults superposed upon each other, but other, wooden , floors have been inserted between . The parapet and corners are rounded similar to those at Drum Castle . It was greatly altered and added to in the

N o seventeenth century . particular history

to attaches the building , which belonged to the Hays o f Yester fo r centuries it has only under

o ne it gone siege, that by Cromwell , when sur rendered after a short defence .

1 8 4 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAN D

the ruins of the Wellhouse Tower , while St . Margaret ’ s Chapel is the oldest building and

r also the oldest chu ch in Scotland , containing

Early Norman work and probably also Saxon . The general aspect o f the Castle suffers much from a picturesque point of view by the addition o f the great demi - lune battery and ranges o f

modern buildings .

S ti rling Cas tle(3 rd P eri od) The commanding rock upon which Stirling

Castle is placed was originally an old hill fort , but in the twelfth century was one of the four 1 3 04 chief castles . Thus in it held out for three

months against Edward I . and a powerful army .

So important was it considered that Edward II .

to attempted relieve it , and thus led to Bannock

burn . Baliol occupied it , and King David only

captured it after a long and obstinate siege . At the Stuart period it became a Royal Castle and the favourite residence of the Scottish

kings . The present walls are undoubtedly raised upon the old foundations , but, so far as

antiquity is concerned , the oldest part of the Castle remaining is the Parliament Hall opening

1 8 6 THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND and to which the Scottish regalia was entrusted for safe keeping during the Commonwealth , was captured by Sir William Wallace in 1 29 7 whose troops scaled the precipices and put the

English garrison o f 4000 men to the sword .

refo rtified In 1 3 3 6 Edward III . it , but the

Scots took it as soon as he had left the kingdom . 1 6 5 2 General Lambert blockaded the Castle in , and eventually captured it .

Tantallon Cas tle(3 rd P eri od)

o f Tantallon Castle is the courtyard type,

Caerlav ero ck similar to and Doune, and was erected about the end of the fourteenth century .

Situated upon a rocky precipitous site, with

N was three sides washed by the orth Sea , it only imperative to construct defences upon the fourth o r west side . A deep ditch cut in the

ur 1 2 rock , c tain walls feet thick and 5 0 feet high , battlemented , with a level court in —front, beyond which was another deep ditch , thes e were the defences deemed all sufficient to f ba fle intruders . The Keep also acted as a

flanking defence to the curtain walls, and

contained the only entrance, which passed

C HAP TE R XI

THE SIEGE A N D D EFENCE O F A ME D I EVAL CAS TLE

A WORK upon castellation would undoubtedly be incomplete if it omitted to deal with the interest ing subj ect of the means by which the medieval

a o f knight defended his c stle, and the methods

’ o r he employed for attacking his neighbour s , an

’ enemy s town , whether in a private feud or t legitima e warfare . Thr ough the almost universal habit o f per using medieval romances the general public has formed a mental picture o f the hero and his followers riding round a castle and summoning l it to surrender, or chal enging the garrison to emerge from their retreat and essay mortal

As combat in the open . the engineer and e captain of the sappers and miners , the dir ctor

o f of the artillery, the designer movable towers , and the general head o f the various artifices 1 88 THE ESCALAD E 1 89

calculated to bring the besieged to their senses , the hero is less well known . The coup demain method of attack has probably been the same in most ages , and un doubtedly was the chief means resorted to by primitive man . His missile weapons during the

Stone , Bronze , and Early Iron Ages were of no use against earth ramparts crowned by thick

palisading ; sling , stones , arrows , and spears were only efficacious against the bodies of his

- - enemies , and hand to hand combat was therefore

co ncen a necessity . Hence we may imagine a

tratio nagainst a presumably weak point, a sudden

rush , the plunge into the dry ditch and a rapid scramble up the scarp towards the palisades

under a shower of arrows , stones , and other missiles ; the mad escalade of the defences surmounting the earthwork and the fierce resist l ance o f the defenders , followed by a successfu

entry or a disastrous repulse and retreat . Precisely the same cour se was pursued in the medi eval period when a rapid bridging of the

moat by planks and beams would be attempted ,

scal ing ladders would be reared, and, protected

by their shields from the rain of missiles , the ’

assailants , covered by their archers fire of arrows 1 9 0 SIEGE AND DEFEN CE

ul and bolts upon the ramparts , wo d mount their ladders and attempt to effect a lodgment upon the walls . And , although weapons and condi

- a tions have changed , the assault to day is m de

- upon the self same methods .

a o f cou demain If, inste d the p , a sustained siege is decided upon the knight will order his

ns gy to be brought up to the front , and large and heavy ones to be built upon the spot . From the time when Uzziah made in Jerusalem n engines , invented by cun ing men , to be on the ul towers and upon the b warks , to shoot arrows ” 1 and great stones withal , down to the invention o f cannon , the ingenuity of man has been exercised in devising machines for hur ling missiles to a distance .

o f The Greeks , Romans , and other nations and antiquity brought them to perfection , marvellous results were obtained in ancient Sieges ; the vivid account by Plutarch o f the great engines used at the attack upon Syracuse ,

- 2 1 4 2 1 2 . a , reads almost like romance Caes r frequently mentions this artillery , and especially the portable balistae for throwing arrows and casting stones ; they were fitted with axles and

1 2 . . 1 Chron xxvi 5 .

MEDIEVAL GYNS 1 9 1 wheels and manoeuvred like batteries of cannon at the present day . Larger engines were constructed as required like those of the medieval period . The ancient engines were di stinct from those of a later age in depending for their effi cacy upon the forces of tension and torsion as com pared with that of counterpoise in the middle ages . The art of preparing the sinews of animals so as to preserve their elastic powers was known to the ancients , and great bundles so treated were i f util sed in dif erent ways in the various engines .

Experiments on sinews , ropes of hair, and other materials at the present day have proved that loss o f elasticity soon occurs , whereas we learn that such was not the fact in classical times with their special method of preparation . By fixing an endl ess skein in a suitable frame , stretching it tightly and then twisting the skein in the centre by means of a beam of wood, the necessary torsion was obtained ; if a missile were placed upon the beam when drawn back and the beam

r released , the projectile would be hu led to a distance proportionate to the velocity of the arm and the weight o f the missile . The principle may readily be gleaned from the accompanying diagram whi ch exemplifies 1 9 2 SIEGE AN D DEFENCE the two vertical skeins used in a portable balista for throwing arrows by being fixed in a sui table frame an action like that of the bow coul d be obtained . By using immense coils of twisted sinew the nations of antiquity, and especially

5 0 o r the Greeks , threw stones weighing lbs . 400 5 00 more to a distance of from to yards , and as a general rule with marvellous hi accuracy, w le lighter missiles are stated to have

DIA GR A M ILLU TR ATING THE IN IP LE F S P R C O been hurled to C N TR UCTI N IN CLA ICAL E NG INE O S O SS S . between 7 00 and 8 00 yards . These engines received the general ” name of catapults , although the Greeks generally referred to them under the term ” tormentum , in reference to the twisted sinews , thongs , and hair , of which the skeins were made . i Broadly speak ng , catapults shot darts , arrows ,

—a - and the falarica , long iron headed pole ; balistas projected stones or similar missiles , though the names are often interchanged by the chroniclers . Some time after the fall of the Roman empire

o f the secret preparing the sinews was lost . T ebu — The r chet. Another force was called into

THE ME DIEVAL TREBUCHET 1 9 3

i play for med eval artillery . This was the counter

o r poise , gravitation , and the principle upon which all large engines or g yns were constructed

during the middle ages . A long wooden arm was pivoted m a framework so that a short and a long portion projected upon either side ; to the shorter part a great weight in a swinging cradle was fixed which necessarily raised the longer

arm to the vertical position . If the latter were drawn backwards and downwards the great

weight was accordingly raised, and upon release the long arm would sweep upwards in a curve and

proj ect any missile attached to it . By fixing a sling of suitable length to the arm the effi ciency

- was immensely increased (s eeTitle page) . Such ” was the principle of the trebuchet, the enormous engines which carried devastation and destruction

to medieval castles . The French are said to have

introduced these in the twelfth century, and by the end of the thirteenth they were the most

formidable siege engines of the time . The transition period in England between the classical weapons and the trebuchet was the

twelfth century and the earlypart of the thirteenth . The veterans from the crusades undoubtedly

introduced the torsion and tension engines , but 25 1 9 4 SIEGE AND DEFENCE

found that the home - made article could not compete in efficiency with the Oriental examples and therefore the advent o f the trebuchet was

welcomed . Roughly speaking , the original balista

or catapults depending upon torsion , and throw

ing shafts rather than balls , were not so frequently in use as those engines whi ch depended upon

tension and threw heavy stones . In the early part o f the thirteenth century the balista cata pult came into vogue once more ; it was of the

- o f u cross bow type , and at the end the cent ry

es rin ale was called the p g and mounted on wheels . The counterpoises used in large trebuchets weighed sometimes between 8 and 9 tons ; 5 0 the throwing arm was often feet in length , and the engine could hurl a proj ectile weighing 2 3 between cwt . and cwt . to a distance of 0 about 3 0 yards . Dead horses were at times sent whirling over the battlements into a besieged town , while casks of matter of an offensive character and likely to breed pestilences

were common missiles . But the chief use and purpose of the trebuchet was the smashing - up of bretasches ; the pounding of the battlements and upper works to facilitate escalades ; the filling up of the moat in selected places by

1 9 6 SIEGE AND DEFENCE

- War Wolf, as it was termed , had not had an

o r pportunity, and therefore ordered the gar ison to remain within while he to ok a few pot- shots

at their defences . Such proj ectiles would almost demolish a

house , and were nearly as formidable as modern shells ; their great weight would batter every portion of a medieval castle except the very

thickest of walls . The platforms of earth thrown up by besiegers to sustain their great engines remain in many places intact to - day ; thus round Berkhampstead Castle are eight , upon which the trebuchets o f the Dauphin were erected 1 2 1 6 in , when he battered the castle into sub

r mission in about a fo tnight . The terms man

o nel g , petrary, balista , onager, scorpion , perrier, catapult, etc . , when used by historians of the

to middle ages , generally apply the trebuchet and its varieties , large and small .

TheA rblas t E s rin aleand S ur ardon , p g , p g were engines based upon the crossbow or tension principle ; some were of considerable size and threw huge bolts tipped with iron . Another and a common use was to convey ignited incendiary ’ matter into the enemy s quarters by their means . a They were mounted upon towers , curt in walls ,

1 9 8 SIEGE AND DEFENCE

o f stones , beams wood , hot water , molten lead , and spiked poles which were invariably launched from the battlements for its destruction . Under its cover the besiegers tunnelled beneath the walls , which they supported with woodwork until their task was completed ; by starting a con flag ratio n in the chamber thus excavated the supports were consumed and the wall was breached . At other times the stones , previously shattered or loosened by the ram or the terebra , were removed until the wall above was incapable o f o wn bearing its weight . Mining , like other operations , had to be carried out with discretion and was undoubtedly a precarious operation .

o f Thus in the siege Dryslwyn Castle , Carmarthen

in o f shire , the time Edward I Lord Stafford and other leaders lost their lives by a sudden collapse o f the walls they were undermining . The mine was often met by a counter - mine o f the garrison as in modern warfare . ‘ TheB eroi B el r or M ovableTowe fi , f y , r was a machine for facilitating the capture of fortified

ui o r positions . It could be b lt upon the spot carried from place to place in pieces . When mounted upon wheels it was pushed forward towards the walls , the obj ect being to give the THE BEFFROI 1 9 9 assailants the same advantage of height which

was shared by the besieged . From the upper platform the archers could command the battle ments and approaches ; those in lower stages sent their missiles into loopholes and other openings ; in the lowest stage a ram was often

mounted . One feature o f its construction was a hinged platform which fell outwards upon the battlements and over which the assailants en

deav o ured to enter the fortress . The besieged hindered the approach of this terror by digging pitfalls for the wheels , shooting incendiary missiles , making sallies for its destruction by fire, or con c entrating such a body of men upon the walls that none could live under the hail of missiles poured into it . The methods of assaili ng a castle thus enumerated were, as a rule, put into operation at the same time and supported one another . Thus in the siege of Bedford Castle , defended by the

uke B reauté 1 2 24 followers of F a s de , in , the siege was carried out by King Henry III . in person . Two wooden Beffrois were made and advanced — towards the walls , these were occupied by longbowmen and arbales tiers ; sappers ap pro ach ed the walls and undermined by means 200 SIEGE AN D DEFENCE o f a Cat ; seven trebuchets cast their ponderous

o r proj ectiles against, into , the castle without intermission night and day , while lesser artillery

- hurled lead covered stones , darts , bolts , and other

o r missiles among the defenders upon the walls ,

- s through the oillets and louvre covered window . The barbican was taken and then the outer bailey ; a breach in the defending wall gave admission to the inner bailey, and when , by

o ne judicious sapping , portion of the great Shell

Keep sank and produced a wide breach , the u castle was s rrendered . In medieval manuscripts we meet with many illustrations o f petardiers hurling vessels contain ing Greek fire upon the various engines attacking

o r a castle town , and perhaps this terrifying missile deserves more notice than has hitherto been paid to it . Introduced from the East dur ing the time o f the Crusades it was used with di other incen ary bodies , but as no great objects were specially achieved by its use in our islands , or rather, as chroniclers do not make special

o f mention such results , we are probably justified in thinking that the effects were more of a terrify ing character than of actual effectiveness in

o r besieging defending a castle .

202 BRITISH CASTLES

o 16 5 179 190 B diam Castle, , Caesar, artillery of, o f 1 5 Cainh o e n description , 7 Castle, Albi i, Nigel de 16 1 5 6 Boleyn , Anne, ff 16 0 b 179 Sir Geo rey, Camp ell Castle, 16 1 183 Sir Thomas, Canmore, Malcolm , 1 21 147 Bolingbroke, Cannon, early, 1 48 1 5 2 18 1 Bombards, , gargoyles, c o f 1 5 4 Bothwell Castle , des ription of, shot, weight , 18 1 89 Canterbury Castle, Keep of, o f 1 32 Bowyer Tower, Tower London , Carew Castle, 1 6 5 35 Carisbrooke Castle , 14 o f 73 Bradbury, description , 1 6 19 4 1 18 Bretasche, 7, Carnarvon Castle, 1 03 o f 1 23 description of, description , 5 0 o f 124 Motte and Bailey Castle , town walls , eFaukes 1 9 9 147 15 5 Breaut , de, Castellated Mansion , , a 1 5 5 2 Brick C stles, Castellation, the first, - o f 16 5 15 6 Brick making, art , transition period, ’ r 2 l - British Isles, ea thworks of, , Cast e building Stephen s reign, 1 73 92 1 4 o f 5 7 Broch , 7 Castles, centre boroughs, 1 5 5 6 at Cockburn Law, 7 centre of feudal baronies, 1 4 1 of Mousa , 7 definition of, 1 33 1 5 6 Bronllys Castle, in Gascony, 189 H f 5 5 Bronze Age, 7, ere ordshire, 1 2 f 5 6 Broughton Castle , 7 Hert ordshire , 1 83 e 5 6 Bruce, Robert, Leicest rshire, 162 5 6 Buckingham , Duke of, Nottinghamshire, 1 33 of 1 3 Builth Castle, Scotland , 7 5 0 o f 5 Bures Mount, Essex, sites , 7 8 1 1 9 7 200 Burgh, Hubert de, Cat, , 1 9 2 19 4 19 6 Burh , bury, borough , and burgh, Catapult, , , 39 40 -en- l a- 1 1 , Chapel Frith , 42 130 Burbs, Nottingham, Chaworth , Payn de , 38 39 13 1 Saxon, , Chepstow Castle, aff 141 St ord , Tamworth and War description of, 42 a wick , Ch teau Gaillard , description of, 42 1 1 0 Witham and Maldon , B usli 1 1 1 , Roger de, Tickhill Castle, the Keep,

, 5 ff 6 2 7 Chaucer, Geo rey, 132 Cilgerran Castle, 22 Cis sbur 14 24 Cadbury, Tiverton, y, , 23 f Castle, Civil War, e ficiency of Castles, 24 1 5 3 Berm of, Caerlavero ck 186 46 Castle, Clare, Earl of, 1 3 1 b 1 2 Caerphilly Castle , Gil ert de, 7 1 26 142 description of, family , INDEX 203

s o f Cla sification earthworks, 5 Dal n ru e y g gg ’ Sir Edward 15 7 49 Clavering Castle, Essex, 43 Danish burbs, Clawll Milw r 8 y y , 8 Dauphin, 9 1 6 1 Cleves, Anne of, 1 Definition of a castle, Cl ickamin 1 75 “ ” Broch , o f Beles me 8 Devil , 7 ff 7 - 9 Cli Castles, ff o f ’ Di erentiation earthworks, 3 ff orthants 5 0 5 2 Cli ord s Castle , N , Dilk family 16 2 ft e , li on am s, 9 C C Dinas , 9 Wi 16 2 Clinton, liam de , t 1 6 Dirle on Castle, 7 o f 88 92 - Clun Castle, Keep , , Do 9 2 tooth ornament, 1 60 Cobham, Lord , ebur 14 Do y, 134 Colchester Castle, 102 18 1 Donjon, , o f 8 5 Chapel , 10 Dorchester, Oxon, Coleeer 144 p p family, f 18 1 Douglas amily, 1 1 omb Moss , 18 C Doune Castle, 6 1 2 ompton, ir William , 6 49 C S Dover Castle, e 1 10 Conc ntric Castle, r of 80 92 desc iption , , eo f 1 1 ss ntial p in ipl s , 3 82 e e r c the Keep, 15 2 Conisborough Castle, description Dragons, o f 10 , 6 1 8 182 Drum Castle, 7 , , of 198 Constantinople fortifications , Dryslwyn Castle, 1 12 e Ans cul f Dudley Castl , Fitz , 14 5 Contour forts, William, 6 G u o f 1 20 n 1 6 o wa town wall , Dumbarto Castle, 7 1 18 ast , o f C e Dunnottar Castle, description , o f 120 description , 185 el for 180 of 185 Corb ling, mania , Keep , f 13 1 s Cor e Castle, Dunster Ca tle, Mohun, William B uttavant 140 5 6 Tower, de , o f 137 o f 4 description , Durability earthworks, o f 1 39 K p , 6 5 ee ” Durham Castle, o f 140 10 slighting , Dyke Hills, 102 104 105 18 1 Coucy Castle, , , , 19 3 Counterpoise engines , Eagle Tower, Carnarvon Castle, o f 194 126 Counterpoises trebuchets, Cou-de- main 189 p attack, Earls Barton Castle, Northants, 1 9 5 2 Craigmillar Castle, 7 41 to 18 Crenellated walls, Earthworks, auxiliary aids , e 143 I 2 Cr vecoeur family, British sles, s o f 5 Criccieth Castle, description of, cla sification , 1 18 o f 14 destruction , 8 ff o f 3 Cromlechs, di erentiation , 1 68 of 4 Cromwell, Ralph , Lord , durability , 181 3 Crowstep gables, English , 6 18 Curtain walls , 7 with stockades, o 75 dinbur h 176 183 Cutts , L rd , g Castle, , 101 183 Cylindrical Keep, Argyle Tower, 2 04 BRITISH CASTLES

’ n -TO s e . Edi burgh Castl , St Margaret s Fortified Hill p , classification 184 13 Chapel, of, 18 4 5 13 Wellhouse Tower, strengthened , , ’ 8 1 5 Edin Hold , 7 t 1 18 Gr 16 3 Edwardian Cas le, am , Sir David , 1 38 amm ’ T f Edward the Martyr , G ock s Castle, near emps ord , o f 44 45 Eleanor , wife Humphrey of , 144 Gavesto n 74 Gloucester, , Piers, Elfreto n 1 21 1 19 , Henry de, Glendower, Owen, E1 4?» o f 89 5 3 Gloucester Castle , Keep , 19 1 16 9 Engines, ancient, Humphrey, Duke of, 3 l 48 English earthworks, Golden Va ley, Castle at, 1 89 193 Escalade, Gravitation engines, rin 200 g ale, Greek fire, Etpel fleda 41 9 5 1 5 2 of the Mercians, , Gre Sir Ralph , , z ld o f 85 Gui ford Castle, Chapel , Ex bur - 16 8 K 8 8 g h Manor House , eep of, G undulf o f es Eye Castle, Malet, Robert de , , Bishop Roch ter , 5 6 134 14 unpowd , int oduction o , 7 G ” er r f 16 4 G ns 190 1 9 3 Fairfax, Sir Thomas, y , , Falarica, Ral li 1 69 15 Fane, p , Ham Hill, Somerset , Fer eant 9 9 g , Alan , Hamp on Court, Herefordshire, 1 §2 Ferrers , Henry de , Tutbury 5 1 18 15 2 Castle , 7 Harlech Castle, , s 1 5 8 Feudal baronies, castle centre of, Harquebuses, Openings for, 5 6 5 5 Hastings Castle, 16 5 139 Fiennes, Sir Roger, Hatton, Sir Christopher, o f 1 66 1 0 Thomas, execution , Haut, Ivo de, 7 t l 2 f 1 33 First cas e lation, Haver ordwest Castle, 9 83 Fishguard , Hedingham Keep , Essex, t Ans cul f Hembur 14 Fi z , William, Dudley y Fort, Honiton, 5 6 5 5 Castle, Herefordshire , Castles in, - 6 8 94 f Fitz John, Eustace, , Here ord , Motteand Bailey Castle, - o f 48 49 Fitz Osborne , William , Earl , 3 Herstmo nceaux 1 6 1 6 8 Hereford , 7 Castle, 7, 1 42 o f 1 64 William , description , - 48 H f I 5 6 Fitz Scrob, Richard , ert ordshire, Castles n, 6 1 6 0 Flanking Towers, 7 Hever Castle, t 1 22 1 60 Flint Cas le, Sir William de, 1 3 Flying bridge , Motte and Bailey Hill forts , 7 5 0 172 Castle, Hilton Castle , Fo nmo n t 1 6 Castle , Glamorganshire, Home Cas le , 7 9 3 1 81 Earls of, Fo rebuildin s 8 6 g , 7 Homestead moats, 9 8 6 Rochester Castle , developed ,

206 BRITISH CASTLES

198 200 Movable Tower, Petardier, 9 4 8 1 86 19 6 Mowbray, de, Petrary, , , 45 131 Pevensey Castle, , 133 o f 4 Narberth Castle , inner Castle , 7 80 Natural fortresses streng thened, Pharos at Dover, 5 - of 6 Pi k ing a tl , K p , 88 c er” C s e ee N 1 8 “ 1 8 eidpath Castle , 7 Pit, or Prison , 7 o f 182 25 29 descri tion , Pitt Rivers, General, , Newcastlb n l 109 upo Tyne Cast e , Plantagenet, Hamelin, 8 5 6 1 1 13 Chapel of, Plateau forts , , , orebuIldI n 9 5 2 F g of, 7 Pleshey Castle, Essex, 89 f 1 09 15 4 Keep of, Ponte ract Castle , , 7 5 7 Newquay, Lacy, Ilbert de, 3 Newton Castle, Montgomeryshire, Porchester Castle, 7 5 3 9 Portland , 41 1 Nineveh marbles, Primitive weapons, 1 05 195 Norham Castle, Projectiles, men as , 1 34 l as 1 9 5 Norwich Castle, mil stones , N a 87 6 ottingham C stle, Promontory forts, 8 8 l 6 Keep of, Protected vi lage sites, n 5 6 Pultenee 16 9 Notti ghamshire, Castles in, y , Sir John de,

’ 8 1 5 8 Odin Hold , Berwickshire, 7 Quatford Castle, 7 i 46 9 1 43 149 Odo, B shop ofBayeux, , 7, Quia Emptores, Statute of, 8 Oillets, 7 , Old 9 s 141 Castle Head , Raglan Ca tle, 86 19 6 o f 1 6 3 Onager, , description , 5 2 5 3 1 6 4 Ongar Castle , Essex, , Keep of, O idum Cas s ivelaunus 33 8 1 1 9 pp of , Ram , 7 ff 109 Ra 6 Orford Castle, Su olk, velin , or barbican , 7 8 Ravens bur h H 25 Oubliettes, 7 g Castle, exton, 89 6 Oxford Castle, Keep of, Rectangular Keep, 7 o f 85 Chapel , 4 F o rebuildin 8 Parapet, location of, g of, 7 180 7 Peel Towers, construction of, 7 a 46 o f 8 5 Pelham , L dy Jane, Crypt , 46 8 Sir John , impregnability of, 7 132 1 5 3 83 Pembroke Castle, , internal arrangements of, 1 06 o f 6 Keep of, introduction , 7 8 4 Penhow Castle, Monmouthshire, Ramparts of, 93 I o f Th 36 Reculvers, sle anet, c o f 139 Penshurst Pla e, description , Redvers, Baldwin de, 1 69 4 Richard de , 7 0 186 Percy, Earl, 7 Regalia Scottish , 6 9 ’ Sir Henry de, Richard s Castle , Herefordshire, T 15 9 48 5 9 Sir homas, , 19 6 o a 36 Perrier, Richb rough Castle, S ndwich , INDEX 207

100 f f Richmond Castle, Barbican of, Siege and de ence o a medieval o f 9 9 s 188 Chapel , ca tle , f o , 9 9 144 Crypt S ismund , Emperor, ' o f 99 S igC 34 3 description , hester, , 7 o f 99 K , 5 33 ee Simple artificial enclosures, , H 31 144 Ring ill , Essex , Smith , Sir Richard , ” 1 33 19 Roche Castle, Snail, 7 e 134 180 Rochest r Castle , Solar, o f 9 6 f of 16 4 description , Somerset, amily , of 8 9 9 7 9 8 e 142 Keep , , Sir Charl s, o f 87 9 7 15 siege , , South Cadbury, Sherborne, 37 8 1 19 Roman fortification, Sow, , 7 - 33 S ur ardon 19 6 Romano British Period , p g , 90 Roman wall, Tower of London , Spurious castles, 1 34 ff 16 2 Sta ord, Edward , 183 o f 16 9 Roxburgh Castle, family , 96 o f 16 2 Royal Castles in Kent, Humphrey, Earl , 198 Lord , a . 8 18 19 St Burian, Stock des, , ’ 8 of 19 20 2] St . David s Head, construction , , , ’ o f 19 St. John s Chapel, Tower Gallic , 136 o n 18 London , earthworks,

. 144 7 189 St Leger, Sir Anthony, Stone Age, , k 1 5 2 8 Sa ers , circles, 38 39 s s o f Saxon burh, , Stoke ay Castle, de cription , 41 1 71 MSS . , 38 n 176 183 Period , Stirli g Castle, , o f 1 72 o f 184 Say, de, family , description , S eontium 36 l c o f 18 5 g (Carnarvon), Pa a e , 1 5 2 184 Serpentines, Parliament Hall, of of 195 Seymour, Charles, Duke siege , 0 142 Somerset, 7 Strongbow, Richard , 1 5 9 172 family of, Sudley Castle, Sween ff 49 74 , Scales, Lord , g the Sheri a o f 15 4 169 Sc rborough Castle , siege , Sydney, Sir Philip, 1 69 1 9 6 William, Scorpion, 176 a on 190 Scottish Castles , Periods of, Syr cuse , attack , 1 5 2 18 1 Syrens, d 1 77 Secon Period , 1 79 amwo th astl , Ma mion , Third Period , T r C e r le5 180 ob t , 7 Fourth Period , R er ll on t e1 9 l 64 anta as l , 7 She l Keep, T C o f 186 o 66 d s iption , configurati n of, e cr o f 186 i o f 6 5 K p , posit on , ee 0 o f 18 i i of si g s , 7 Shirburn Castle, descr pt on , e e 167 1 5 8 Tattershall Castle, crypt of, 167 l sbur 22 d iption o , Shou y, Exmoor, escr f 2 08 BRITISH CASTLES

41 Wal derave 16 1 Taunton burh , g , Sir Edward,

1 9 T. 1 6 1 Terebra, 7 Waldo, Sir , ef 5 2 e 1 31 Th t ord Castle, Norfolk, Wal s, Rhys of, a 16 3 1 86 Thomas, Sir William p, Wallace, Sir William, 5 3 1 1 5 8 Thurnham Castle , Kent, Waller, Sir William , 7 , 148 39 Tickhill Castle, Wallingford , B usli 5 7 1 09 , Roger de, Castle, To denei , Robert, Belvoir Castle, Walls , medieval, construction of, 5 7 78 Tor mentum 1 92 109 , Warkworth Castle, i 6 6 148 1 5 1 Torsion and tension eng nes, Warwick Castle, , , ” 1 9 3 - f 1 9 6 War wol , l 1 5 35 Torwood ee Broch , 7 Watling Street, 6 5 134 Totnes Castle, West Malling , 42 Towcester , West Saxons, Harold, Earl of, ’

. 49 Tower of London, St John s 85 136 1 9 7 Chapel , , Whelk , o f 1 33 l 32 description , Whelpley Hi l, Bucks, e 1 36 1 72 Ke p of, Whitton Castle, Durham, ’ 135 o f 1 49 Traitors Gate, Winchester , Statute , 8 1 86 9 7 15 2 192 5 3 6 5 Trebuchets , , , , , , Windsor Castle, , 1 93 194 1 9 5 1 96 200 o f 6 1 , , , , Barbican , e o f 1 9 4 1 9 5 1 9 6 o f 60 projctiles , , , description , Trer n 8 o f 6 1 y Castle , Motte , ’ 2 1 33 . 6 Tretower Castle, St George s Chapel, Treval ue 7 o f 6 2 g Head , Shell Keep , 1 48 Win fiel d - 1 6 8 1 2 Tutbury Castle, g Manor House, , 7 F erret s 5 7 5 2 , Henry de, Wollaston Castle, Northants , 9 8 136 Tyler, Wat, Wren, Sir Christopher, e 1 5 9 Wr ssle Castle, U 190 1 6 6 zziah , Wyatt, the architect, Will l am 0 Wyndham, Sir , 7 A 18 1 Valence, ymer de, a 9 2 Yarnbur 32 V ulting Ribs, y, Wilts, f o f 1 72 Y o f 182 Verdun , amily , ester, Hays , f o f 8 4 Y 6 5 109 Vere , de, amily , ork Castle , , 4 f . 3 o 88 Verulamium , St Albans, Keep , Ves c 6 8 y, Ivo de, 173 1 74 Z 83 84 Vitrified forts, , igzag moulding, ,

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