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
The western chamber was certainly vaulted, the corbels whence sprung
the ribs or vaults remaining at the four angles. The other two chambers
were probably also vaulted, some trace of the angle corbels remaining.
A special rib seems to have shut off the south-east angle, probably to
give head-room for the staircase doorway. A doorway led from the south
to the western chamber, of which the south jamb remains. Probably these
chambers were vaulted in two bays, but of this no indication is left.
All are lighted by loops, each loop is about 2 inches broad, and 6
feet above the ground, and is placed in a round-headed stepped recess,
splayed from an internal breadth of about 4 feet 6 inches. Of these
loops there are six. One in the north wall, opening from the north
chamber; three in the south wall, of which two open from the south
chamber, and the third from the west chamber, which has also two others
in the west wall.
The south-east angle is occupied by a well-staircase 11 feet 8 inches
diameter, which rises to the roof, communicating by a short lobby with
each floor. The only access to the basement was by this staircase from
the first floor.
The first or main floor was divided by the cross-wall into a larger
east (_e_) and a smaller west chamber (_d_), and a shelf or set-off
reduces some of the walls by a foot, and enlarges the inner area
accordingly. At this level also the walls contained several mural
chambers. The main, and indeed the only entrance to the tower was
on this floor in the east wall, about 10 feet from the ground. The
doorway, a plain rounded arch of 5 feet 4 inches opening (_f_), led
into a passage of 6 feet breadth, opening direct into the eastern
chamber. There was no portcullis, and the only defence was a stout
door, barred. In the south wall of the passage a small doorway led into
a chamber in the east wall, 6 feet wide by 14 feet long, and which has
a loop in its outer wall, and no doubt opened by a doorway, now broken
down, into the east chamber. On the north side of the doorway, but not
communicating with the passage, the north-east angle of the building is
occupied by a second mural chamber 14 feet long by 9 feet broad, also
vaulted (_g_). In the north wall of this chamber is a fire-place with
a concave back, and at the east end is a loop. It was entered from the
east chamber by a doorway, now broken down, in its south wall, and this
door led into a small lobby, cut off by a cross-wall from the chamber
with the fire-place.
A third mural chamber is entered from the larger room by a small door
in the south wall. This opens into a passage 2 feet 6 inches broad,
and 33 feet long, lighted by a couple of loops in its south wall, and
terminating in a small chamber about 8 feet by 4 feet, which occupies
the south-west angle, and was lighted by a loop in the west wall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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