140 Essay on Caerphilhj Castle. 



deed for the span of a single draw-bridge, but rather too narrow, and too 

 near the citadel, safely to admit of the erection of a permanent central pier. 

 The expedient of a temporary one of timber was probably here, as at Raby 

 and Holt castles, adopted, upon which, placed in the centre of the moat, a 

 bridge from either side might be securely dropped, but which admitted of 

 instant destruction in the event of a siege. 



The eastern entrance from this bridge, passed beneath a 



Eastern Gate- vaulted portal, with the usual defences, and placed between 



house. two semi-circular towers, with a very considerable projection, 



and connected by the continued portal, with the gate-house of 



the central ballium. 



These towers are very thick, but of no great height, and contain a 

 lodge on either side, lighted by three narrow loops, and above these lodges 

 was the battlement. 



Attached to the northern of these towers is a square building, the use 

 of which baffles even antiquarian conjecture. 



Between this gate-house and the inner one, a door seems to have led off 

 on either side, to the ofiSces and terrace. 



The gate-house at the opposite or western extremity of this 

 WesternGate- ballium differs materially from the last. The portal is loftier, 

 house. and the front more extended. There are two chambers on 

 either side of the portal, a first story, and fire-places with 

 handsome chimneys. 

 Water Gate. Nearly in the middle of the southern side of this ballium it 

 is intersected by a vaulted passage, leading downwards by 

 steps from the inner ballium to the moat, upon which it opens by a water- 

 gate. This passage leads from the hall, and at its lower end is a place 

 for boats, &c. It is vaulted by a succession of short horizontal arches, 

 instead of by one long sloping vault. A similar contrivance is adopted at 

 the neighbouring fortress of Castelh Coch. 



Above this passage are chambers apparently intended for servants' lodg- 

 ings, and the space between it and the eastern gate-house, com- 

 Offices. prehending a fourth of the ballium, is occupied by the offices. 



These consist of a low tower of one story, of prodigious thick- 

 ness, and vaulted to f(<rra the kitchen. Here are fire-places and a pair of 

 curious recevoirs apparently for hot water, communicating by flues with 

 the atmosphere. The first story seems also to have been provided with 

 large fire-places, as at Morlais and Castelh Coch. Adjoining the kitchen 

 is a building with a flat roof a sort of servants' hall, an oven. 

 Tank. and an open tank, fifty feet long by twenty wide. 



Inner We now arrive at the inner ballium, an oblong space two 



Ballium. hundred feet east and west by one hundred and sixty north and 



south, contained within four curtain walls, the eastern and 



western of which are broken by lofty and magnificent gate-houses, and the 



