162 DUFFIELD CASTLE. 



well, namely that a square piece of masonry, enclosing in its 

 centre the well pipe, was built up in the south west angle of the 

 keep, which was carried up to the first floor. 



We now come to the special crux of this keep, a shallow trench 

 (shown by dotted lines on the plan) which runs from west to east 

 across the floor of the great apartment, dipping slightly to the 

 east. This trench or trough is made of stone, and is 14! inches 

 wide inside, by 8 inches deep. The most remarkable thing about 

 it is that it runs right through and under the base of the central 

 pillar. It ends a little distance from the east wall, as shown on 

 the plan ; at least so we were assured by the workmen, who had 

 moved some of the stones composing it at a time when no mem- 

 ber of the committee happened to be present. 



Various conjectures have been offered as to its meaning and 

 use, but almost each one has been disproved (such as the idea 

 that it was a trough for cattle penned here for safety), when the 

 construction of the building was remembered, and that there was 

 no access to the basement, save down screw stairways. The best 

 idea that we can offer, and one to which at present we see no 

 sound objection, is this — the water being taken up from the well 

 through solid masonry to the first floor, it was requisite that there 

 should be some special means of supplying the basement (part of 

 which may have been used as a kitchen, and most of it, probably, 

 as a guard room by the garrison,) where it would be the most required. 

 It was also necessary that there should be some means\of dis- 

 charging any overplus water that might be drawn, and this without 

 attracting the attention of besiegers to the position of the well by 

 an outward discharge. Had the west wall been perfect, we expect 

 we should have found a narrow down cast pipe, either in the wall 

 or affixed to it, with a wide mouthed aperture at the top near to 

 the opening of the well, down which bucketsfull could be poured ; 

 those below being able either to receive it at the beginning of the 

 long trench or trough, or to allow the trench to be filled or partly 

 filled according to their requirements. There would be some exit at 

 the east end of the trough, though we are bound to say that digging 

 did not discover it. The circle marked in the masonry on the 



