Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)Clark, George Thomas
History
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)
Clark, George Thomas
Architecture -- England; Architecture, Medieval; Military architecture
In these English, as before them in the British works, the ditches were
sometimes used to contain and protect the approaches. This is well seen
at Clun and Kilpeck. At Tutbury the main approach enters between two
exterior platforms, and skirts the outer edge of the ditch, until it
reaches the inner entrance. The object was to place the approach under
the eyes and command of the garrison.
As there are still some archæologists whose experience entitles their
opinions to respect, who attribute these moated mounds to the Britons,
it will be necessary to point out that the attribution of them to the
English, though materially strengthened by the evidence of the works
themselves, does not wholly, or even mainly, rest upon it. While the
British camps are either præhistoric or unnoticed even in the earliest
histories, and the age of the Roman works is only deducible from their
plan and style, and from the known and limited period of the Roman stay
in Britain, English works are continually mentioned in the chronicles,
and the names of their founders and date of the construction of many
of them are on record. Thus Taunton was founded by Ine a little before
721-2, when Queen Æthelburh destroyed it. The original earthworks
still remaining are considerable, and formed part of the defences
of a fortress erected long afterwards. In the ninth century, as the
Danish incursions became more frequent, works of defence became more
general, and are largely mentioned directly, or by implication, in the
Anglo-Saxon chronicle. In 868-9, the Danish army was at Nottingham, a
strong natural position, in which it was besieged by the West-Saxons.
In 870, the Danes were a whole year at York and wintered at Thetford,
where large earthworks remain. In 875 they were at Cambridge, and in
876 at Wareham, a West-Saxon fortress, whence they attacked Exeter,
and at all these places are earthworks. In 878, we read that Ælfred
“wrought” a fortress at Æthelney, and in 885 the Danes laid siege to
Rochester and “wrought” another fortress about their position, no doubt
the great mound that still remains outside the castle and the Roman
area. In 893, the Danes ascended four miles along the Limen or “Lymne”
river in Kent, and there stormed a work, “geweorc,” which was but half
constructed. In the same year Hæsten entered the Thames and “wrought”
him a work at Milton, and other Danes landed at Appledore, at the mouth
of the Limen. In 894 Ælfred fought with the Danes at Farnham, where
the episcopal keep still stands upon a burh. Hæsten or Hastings had
already constructed a burh at Benfleet, which was stormed by Ælfred,
who in the same year blocked him up at Buttington, on the Severn. In
896, the Danes threw up a work on the Lea, twenty miles from London,
whereupon Ælfred threw up another work on each bank of that river lower
down, and diverted the waters through a number of shallow courses, thus
effectually shutting in the Danish ships. The Danes, in consequence,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account