DUFFIELD CASTLE. 1 57 



to even ioo feet square, and vary in height from about 50 to 125 

 feet. 



Let us now look at the scale upon which Henry de Ferrers 

 determined to erect his great Derbyshire stronghold. When the 

 excavations of the summer of 1886 were complete, and the sods, 

 soil, and loose rubble removed, for a depth of several feet, from 

 the surface of the permanent masonry or foundations, a ground 

 plan became exposed, which is carefully depicted in Mr. Green- 

 well's plan (Plate VIII.). The only fault that can possibly be 

 found with this plan is, that it gives us a little too regular idea of 

 the whole as now extant. For instance, the outer ashlar has in 

 many places been removed right down to the foundation; especially 

 is this the case on the east side, where a considerable inroad was 

 made into the outer surface of the massive wall at the time when 

 the course of the turnpike to Belper was moved in the year 1838. 

 The outline of the inner front of the walls is better preserved than 

 the outer ;■ in several parts more than a single course of stones 

 runs for several yards clear above the set-off of the foundations ; 

 whilst in two places there are no less than five courses of very 

 regularly laid masonry, the stones averaging seven inches in depth, 

 so that they give, with the intervening mortar, a height exceeding 

 three feet. 



The outer measurements of the rectangular keep show that it 

 was almost a perfect square, being 95 feet by 93 feet, exclusive of 

 certain irregularities on the west or " forebuilding " side. The 

 outer walls are of surprising massiveness, and are formed in the 

 centre of a singularly well-set and substantial concrete, made of 

 rubble stones, with a plentiful admixture of mortar. The east wall 

 is fifteen feet thick ; the south wall fifteen feet four inches ; the 

 north wall varies from fourteen feet ten inches to fourteen feet 

 six inches ; and the irregular west wall is about twenty-one feet in 

 thickness. 



Before proceeding with any further details of the ground plan, 

 let us see how these measurements compare with those of other 

 Norman rectangular keeps, so far as they are known, of about the 

 same date, that is of the eleventh century. The Tower is 107 feet 

 by 118 ; Bramber, 40 feet square; Carlisle, 66 feet by 61 ; Guild- 



