ISC Essay on Caerphilly Castle. 



tolerable order ; but the upper chambers of the former, in common with 

 the summits of almost all the walls and buttresses throughout the building, 

 are much battered, and the staircases rendered inaccessible above a certain 

 height, by the absence of the newels, and the fracture of the stone 

 steps. 



The great pier stands alone, but the outer semi-pier is encumbered with 

 houses. 



The moat, now of no great depth, is occupied towards the south by cot- 

 tages J towards the north by a garden and fields. In ordinary weather it 

 is perfectly dry, the waters of tiie river having been, as it appears, arti- 

 ficially blocked out. Between these two portions, north of the pier, is the 

 modern entrance, passing through the grand postern, now a battered hole 

 eleven feet wide : near it a iloor has been opened into a sort of cavity be- 

 low the lower story of the gate-house, now used as a cart hovel. The 

 foundations of the southern curtain being in the moat itself, are tolerably 

 perfect. Those of the northern, elevated upon a bank of earth, are much 

 battered, possibly by cannon shot. 



The tete du pont, in which the southern curtain terminates, has suffered 

 considerably. Immediately beyond the bridge, are two cavities resembling 

 chimnies in the top of the Wiill, which is too rugged and ruined to admit of 

 their use being clearly comprehended. The curvilinear wall between the 

 towers is levelled to a breast-work, and the side of the portal towards the 

 lake has been blown quite away, as has been also the entrance and part of 

 the floor of the neighbouring D-shaped tower. 



The northern limb of the bifurcatea wall, proceeding from the postern, 

 has been blown out of the perpendicular ; and, although there is no great 

 danger of its fall, the loose stones adjoining its fissure are a source of 

 danger to the ambitious antiquary, who should here attempt an escalade. 

 Cottages are clustered against the outside of this wall, and the re-entering 

 angle is occupied by a pigstye. 



Entering the castle by the grand postern, we find the wall parallel to the 

 curtain, which formed the back of the northern gallery, levelled nearly 

 with the soil, and all regular access to the buttress chambers consequently 

 cut off. 



The counterscarp of the inner moat is in ruins, filling up the moat, which 

 lies in tillage and pasture land. 



In concluding the outer line of defences, mention should be made 

 of the mill, the lower story of which only remains. A dry water-course, 

 and the tunnel enlarged into a breach, still mark the ancient exit of its 

 waters. 



The modern miller of Caerphilly has wisely removed himself to the out- 

 side of the great southern breach, where he takes advantage of the Nant- 

 y-G!edyr. 



The outer and middle ballia, if ever they were connected at the eastern 



