The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles.Armitage, Ella Sophia
History
The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles.
Armitage, Ella Sophia
Architecture, Norman; Castles -- Great Britain -- History -- To 1500; Normans -- Great Britain
TREMATON, Cornwall (Fig. 34).--"The Count [of Mortain] has a castle
there and a market, rendering 101 shillings."[726] Two Cornish castles
are mentioned in Domesday, and both of them are only on the borders
of that wild Keltic country; but while Launceston is inland, Trematon
guards an inlet on the south coast. The position of this castle is
extremely strong by nature, at the end of a high headland; on the
extreme point of this promontory the motte is placed. It carries a
well-preserved shell wall, which may be of Norman date, from the
plain round arch of the entrance.[727] It has been separated by a
ditch from the bailey, but the steepness of the hill rendered it
unnecessary to carry this ditch all round. The bailey, 1 acre in
extent, in which a modern house is situated, still has an entrance
gate of the 13th century, and part of a mediæval wall. A second
bailey, now a rose-garden, has been added at a later period. In spite
of the establishment of a castle and a market the value of the
manor of Trematon had gone down at the time of the Survey, which may
be accounted for by the fact that there were only ten ploughs where
there ought to have been twenty-four. It was only a small manor, and no
burgus is mentioned.
[Illustration: FIG. 34. Trematon, Cornwall. Tutbury, Staffs.]
TUTBURY, Staffordshire (Fig. 34).--In the magnificent earthworks of
this castle, and the strength of its site, we probably see a testimony
to the ability of Hugh d'Avranches; for we learn from Ordericus that in
1070 William I. gave to Henry de Ferrers the castle of Tutbury, which
had belonged to Hugh d'Avranches,[728] to whom the king then gave the
more dangerous but more honourable post of the earldom of Chester.
Domesday Book simply states that Henry de Ferrers has the castle of
Tutbury, and that there are forty-two men living by their merchandise
alone in the borough round the castle.[729]
At Tutbury the keep was placed on an artificial motte, which itself
stood on a hill of natural rock, defended on the N.W. side by
precipices. There is no trace of any ditch between the motte and
bailey. At present there is only the ruin of a comparatively modern
tower on the motte, but Shaw states that there was formerly a stone
keep.[730] A description of Elizabeth's reign says, "The castle is
situated upon a round hill, and is circumvironed with a strong wall
of astilar [ashlar] stone.... The king's lodging therein is fair and
strong, bounded and knit to the wall. And a fair stage hall of timber,
of a great length. Four chambers of timber, and other houses well
upholden, within the walls of the castle."[731] The king's lodging
will no doubt be the closed gatehouse; the custom of erecting gatehouse
palaces arose as early as the 13th century. This account shows how many
of the castle buildings were still of timber in Elizabeth's reign.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account