WOODSFORD CASTLE. ,63 



house, which show an area to be roofed of less than 3,000 square 

 feet, whereas that of the castle as it stands is 3,300. 



It is very likely, indeed, that the Beletts and early de Bryans 

 had a strong house here. But the oldest part of the existing 

 castle, the northern 50 feet of its length, was built, we may be 

 pretty sure, in Edward III.'s reign, say about 1350. It is 

 strongly built. The ground floor north wall of the tower is 

 5* feet thick. The corresponding stage of the stair-turret, close 

 by, is solid, and is 9 feet in diameter. The 2* inch wide 

 arrowslits, one in the east wall, one in the south wall of the 

 ground floor of the tower should be noticed. The position of 

 the southern slit may possibly lead one to think that the door of 

 this early castle of de Bryan's was on the east side, the slit being 

 made to command it. The present door of the castle, indeed, 

 is on the west side of the part of the building in question. But 

 that entrance is pronounced by Hutchins to be modern. Before 

 passing on to the interior of de Bryan's work it may be noted 

 that both his and Stafford's masonry is very good. With regret 

 it is confessed that personal search for a certain feature of 

 interest in de Bryan's work has not been made.* Hutchins says 

 that slates, and those Devon slates, are inserted between the 

 courses. Omission of search is the more regretted because the 

 line between slates and no slates should show, what these notes 

 leave in doubt, the limit between the i4th and i5th century work. 

 As to the interior of the early castle, its three ground-floor 

 rooms are rubble vaulted, plain barrel wise, with very slight 

 curve. Over the two northernmost in the main building extends 

 a room of 23 by 18 feet, now the dining room. It was the hall. 

 The two large beams across it may, or may not, be original. 

 The old fire-place is gone. The i4th century sink, for washing 

 plates, &c., with well moulded sill, remains in the south-east 

 corner. The dai's was, therefore, at the north end we may think. 

 The kitchen may have been in the destroyed north-west tower, 



* Since this paper was written the slates have been duly found in the northern 

 part of the east wall. But owing to the wealth of creepers the spot where they 

 cease could not be surely found out, The slates are blackish. 



