CITY OF DURHAM 



and the defensive wall crossing the moat renders 

 it extremely likely that such was the case. When 

 the plaster was disturbed on the west wall, the 

 jamb and arch of a Norman window were dis- 

 closed. On the outside also of the same wall 

 on a level with this window, but further to the 

 south, the jamb of a second window with a 

 column is visible, though the rest of it is 

 obscured by a later buttress. The outside 

 features of the building were a boldly projecting 

 base from which sprang broad, flat pilaster 

 buttresses at each angle, and probably a corbelled 

 parapet, the present parapet wall, with over- 

 sailing string and drip stones, being of late date. 

 This building was converted by Bishop Fox'^ 



upper part of a right-angled triangle. Both 

 rise nearly to the base of the parapet, with 

 wedge-shaped apex stones. The flues possessed 

 the usual arrangement of smoke jacks, some of 

 the spits and pulleys in connection with which 

 are now hanging on the wall. Above the central 

 stone pier is an angular brick shaft supported on 

 a stone corbel carved with the grotesque figure 

 of an imp, and capped at the level of the roof 

 strut with a stone moulded capital ; from this 

 springs a transverse roof strut. 



The roof is open, of low pitch, with large 

 main beams and wall plates, both chamfered, and 

 a lower chamfered waU plate, chamfered upright 

 wall plates with swelled and splayed feet, resting 



Durham Castle : The Buttery 



(1494-1501) into a kitchen. He inserted the 

 large arch in the north wall and filled it with 

 the buttery hatch. He also constructed the 

 magnificent fireplaces and chimney breast 

 adjoining, completely hiding the south wall. 

 These fireplaces consist of two three-centred 

 hollow chamfered ashlar arches of 16 ft. and 

 12 ft. span, springing from a central and two side 

 stone piers, supporting a brick frontal wall,'' 

 with embattled parapet of moulded brick. From 

 the back of this wall springs the battering 

 wall of the large flues. Over each stone arch is 

 a brick relieving arch, one and a half bricks in 

 depth. The eastern arch is sharply pointed with 

 small curvature, but the western has no curva- 

 ture, the rims being perfectly straight, like the 



'- Hist. Dtinelm. Script. Tres (Surt. Soc), 150. 



*' This wall was stripped of plaster about 1907, 

 previous to vvliich it was thought the frontal wall and 

 parapet were of stone. This brickwork is practically 

 the only early brickwork in the castle. 



on stone octagonal splayed corbels, with cham- 

 fered and cut struts and under bearers to each 

 main timber. The roof is of chestnut and is 

 probably of Bishop Fox's construction. 



In the east wall is a third hollow chamfered 

 arch, with rounded stop on jambs. In this it 

 differs from the other fireplaces ; it is also 

 higher and of considerably greater curvature, 

 with a double stone rim (at present filled with a 

 range and large oven). The recess to which this 

 arch admitted is of some depth, as its outside 

 wall projects beyond the old Norman wall 

 2 ft. 6 in. or 3 ft., the projecting portion being 

 roofed by a series of stone slopes. In this wall 

 are the remains of a hood mould and a square- 

 headed window; these and a considerable amount 

 of the stonework of the outside wall resemble 

 that of Bishop Tunstall's time. Its original pur- 

 pose is unknown, but it may have been occupied 

 by sinks. 



The west window inserted by Bishop Fox 

 (1494-1501) is of three cinquefoil lights in a 



71 



