136 



The Antiquary. 



[Sept. 1, 



if Bi itiih ; but Camden and the generality 

 of the beft writers have afcribed it to the 

 Saxons. 



But the deficiency of flrong poRs 

 throughout the country was ftiil oblcrv- 

 able 5 and to this we nrift probibly attri- 

 bute flie defeat of Harold ; fince without 

 them it became necefTiry tliat all fliould 

 be rKkeu upon iheifuieof a firgle battle.— 

 William the Conqueror, it appears, faw 

 ihedeicft, and like a ikilful general fiip- 

 plied it. He ieeins to have railed them in 

 Hiiunilance ; and thofe which were not en- 

 tirely new, he ap, eirs to have newly mo- 

 delled. The Norman fyftem of caile'la- 

 tion, itfiToylJ feem, materially diftered from 

 the Saxon; and as in the civil, fo in the 

 military architcfi me of the time, the pio- 

 portions of tlie v-irioiis parts appenr to 

 have been enlarged. The ge.-.er.il Oiape 

 or plan wa» far kfs fimple than among the 

 Saxons, and depended entirely on the ca- 

 price of the aichi;e6fs, ov on the ground 

 intended to be occupied. The towers, if 

 we may jviuge from cur caflellated ruins, 

 were not confined to any particular figuie, 

 but in the original purts of the fame 

 builoing appear to have been fqnare, or 

 round, or polygonal, as foited the fancy of 

 the builder. It has been fuppofed by 

 fome, that in differnt p.irts of the king- 

 dom our ancient callles are marked by an 

 appropriate character ; but this appears 

 r.ot gencr.dly to have been the cafe. The 

 tiuth is, that a great number of the 

 tirongeft kind were built about the reign 

 of Sttphtn ; and they multiplied to fuch 

 an inordinate extent, that, as Camden 

 fays, in the reign ot Henry II. we had no 

 lefs than 1115. One of the molt com- 

 plete of thefe, which were principally ba- 

 ronial, was Berkeley CalUc ; and its an- 

 cient ftrength and magnificence may be yet 

 gathered from its relics. The different 

 alterations that have taken place fince it 

 was in a ftate of defence, may be found in 

 Bigland's " Hiftoiy of Gloucefiei fliire." 



The particular dtfciipuon of a Norman 

 caflle may be ktn in Mr. Dailaway's 

 «' Heraldic Inquiries;'" asd the charailer 

 of cur cnflles in the different centuries 

 may peihaps be in part gathered from the 

 fcijiowi' g fpecimens. Norham Caille, 

 built in 1131 ; defcribed in the " Hiftory 

 of Duiham. Scarborough in 11 36. Con- 

 vay ard Caerphilly by our fifft Edward. 

 One of the towers of Alnwick in 1350. 

 Lumiey in 1339. The great tower at the 

 iimth eaft corner of Waiwick Caftle in 

 J 594, at the expence of 395!- s'- ''■'^- — 

 And Caiftor in Norfolk early in the fif- 

 teenth ctn^ury. The following defcrip- 



tion, however, taken principally from Dr. 

 Henry's •' Iliftory of England," will be 

 found geneiaiy applicable to what are 

 called the caftles of the middle ages. 



" The fituation of ancient caftles wa$ 

 usually on an eminence, and near a river. 

 The whole fite of ihecalflewas furrounded 

 by a I'eep and br^ad ditch, fometimesdry, 

 and fometimcs filled with \.ater. On the 

 edge of this fiood the wall, about eight or 

 ten feet thick, and between twenty and 

 thirty feet high, v.'ith a parapet, and a 

 kind of embrafures, called crenelles, on the 

 top. On this wall, at proper dillances, 

 were built fquare towers, two or three 

 ffories high, containing apartments for 

 the principal oiHcers ; and adjoining to 

 thefe weie lodgings for the common fer- 

 vants or retainrrs, granarijs, ftorehoufes, 

 and other nicellaty ofKces, On the topot" 

 the wall, and on the flat roofs of thefe 

 buildings, ftood the defenders of the caffie 

 when it vjzs beficged, and thence difcharg- 

 ed arrows, darts, and ftcnes, on the be- 

 fiegers. Before the great gate was an 

 outwork, called a. barbacsn, or antemural, 

 which was ;'. iirong and high wall with 

 turrets, d'.iigned for the defence of the 

 gate and Irawbridge. The gate was alfa 

 riefended by a tower on each fide, and 

 rooms over the pafTage, which was clofed 

 by thick folding-doors of oak, often plated 

 wirh iron, and by an iron portcullis or 

 grate let down from above. Within this 

 outward wall was a large open fpace or 

 court, called the outer bayley, in which 

 ftod commonly a chnch or chapel — 

 Wihin this outer bayley was another 

 ditch, wall, and gale, with their towers, 

 indoHng the inner bayley ; wi;hin which 

 was the principal hill and tower, called the 

 keep or dungeon. This tower, the pa- 

 lace of the prince or baron, and refidence 

 of the conltable or governor, was a lai ge 

 fquare fabric, four or five ftories high, 

 having fmall windows in very thick walls, 

 which rendered the spartments within it 

 daik and ploomy. In it was the great 

 hall, in which the owner difplayed his hof- 

 pitality, by entertaining his numerous 

 fr'enris and followers. The lower part 

 confilied of dark rooms or vaults, often 

 uftd for the confinement of prifoners ; and 

 he'.ce it has been inferred this principal 

 tower derived its name o! dungeon." 



To thefe obfervations me may add, 

 that among the feudal caftles the gate- 

 houfe was the favourite mark of dignity; 

 and that tf.e keep, as a fuperemirent tow- 

 er, appears to have been forgotten about 

 the time of Edward III. Spenfer's de- 

 fcriptioa of the barbican, too, gives addi- 

 tional 



