22. Forebuilding of the Keep, Berkeley 79 23. Dover Castle 81 24. Clun Castle, Salop 89 25. Bamborough Castle 95 26. Plans of the Keep of Hedingham Castle 100 27. Ground Plan of Conisborough Keep 107 28. Conisborough 108 29. The Ideal Concentric Castle 115 30. Machicoulis supporting an Alur 117 31. Merlon pierced with Oillet 124 32. Caerphilly Castle 127 33. Kidwelly Castle, Carmarthenshire 129 34. Chepstow Castle 141 35. Leeds Castle, Kent 143 36. Bartizan 178 37. Diagram illustrating the Principle of Construction in Classical Engines 192 BRITISH CASTLES CHAPTER I NATURAL FORTRESSES STRENGTHENED Man is essentially a pugilistic animal and experiences a keen sense of delight in hunting all objects of the chase, ferocious or otherwise, but the keenest undoubtedly when upon the track of the grandest of all game--man. But at the same time though willing to inflict injury he invariably does so at the minimum of risk to himself, deeming the preservation of his own life, the greatest of the gifts that Nature has bestowed upon him, of the first importance. Thus it is conceivable that after the selection of a stone or the fabrication of a club by primitive man he naturally proceeded to make a protection for himself to counteract the effect of those weapons when wielded by others, and the shield would follow as a logical sequence. The shield was to all intents and purposes a movable castle, since it afforded him the means of causing the greatest amount of annoyance to his enemy, while at the same time furnishing the maximum means of protection to himself; a definition which is appropriate to the first and latest type of feudal castle. As a non-movable protection he would soon recognise the advantages afforded by a tree, a rock, a fold in the ground; and the efficacy of these natural defences would suggest artificial examples where they were non-existent.