Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 2 (of 2)Clark, George Thomas
History
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 2 (of 2)
Clark, George Thomas
Architecture -- England; Architecture, Medieval; Military architecture
The earthworks of the lower ward are tolerably perfect. They are
composed of a steep bank along the north and east sides, from 15 feet
to 30 feet high, the highest and broadest part being at the north-east
angle, where there was probably a tower. This bank has evidently been
thrown up out of a broad and deep ditch, which remains perfect and full
of water, on the north front; but has recently been filled up along the
east as far as the river; nor do there remain any traces of the castle
mill, which stood at its junction with the river. The ground is raised
along the river front about 4 feet, and may have been higher. Along the
west or side towards the upper ward, the bank has been thrown into the
ditch, and there is only a trace of either. Leland says there was “a
great bridge of stone arches, and a drawbridge in the middle of it to
enter into the castle;” but even in Leland’s time this was gone.
The entrance to this ward was evidently at its north-west angle, where
the moat is crossed by a causeway, and the public now enter. There was
a gatehouse in Speed’s time, which he places, probably by an error of
drawing, near the middle of this face. But the bank is there far too
high, and the ditch far too deep and broad, to allow of the entrance
being placed there.
The modern museum, built on the river at the south-west angle of the
ward, or rather between the two wards, and over the line of the ditch,
contains some parts of an older building, and a doorway of the time of
Henry III. or Edward I. This building probably guarded the opening of
the middle ditch into the river, and was also the gatehouse between the
two wards. Speed shows a sort of water-gate here, which is probable
enough. The surface of the lower ward is level. In it stood the chapel
of St. Cuthbert, with a semicircular apse, and in Speed’s time also two
small dwelling-houses. Leland says, “There is a fayre and plentifull
spring of water in the castell, and that, and the piece of the brook
coming out of the ditch, did drive a mill within the castle.” This was
in addition to the mill outside and north of the castle, and probably
was a part of the present museum-house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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