ABERCONWY. 79 



are more arches, with a basement all round. This 

 recess, which with the adjoining room was the 

 queen's private chapel, contained the altar table, 

 and on both sides are small apertures commu- 

 nicating with two apartments, made also in the 

 wall, which were the confessionals. That such 

 was the use of this place is corroborated by the 

 circumstance, that this is the only room in any 

 of the towers above the ground floor, which does 

 not contain a fire-place. The diameter of the in- 

 side of the towers is about eighteen feet ; these 

 consist generally of two stories, with the ground 

 floor, which was chiefly used for keeping stores. 

 The king's tower hath a strong room below, which 

 was accessible only by a trap door ; but the keep, 

 or tivr y carcharorion is the second on the south 

 side, adjoining the hall, from which there is a pas- 

 sage through it to the top of the walls. On the 

 east side there is another terrace, protected by 

 three towers and walls, where there was a second 

 entrance to the castle ; this was from the river, by 

 ascending a steep rock, where once had been a 

 narrow flight of winding stairs, protected by a 

 wall, with a small covered hanging tower, which 

 went a considerable way into the river, and had 

 another round tower at its extremity to prevent 



