ANCIENT DEFENSIVE EARTHWORKS 



remains of a ditch, the latter altered and worn. A little brook, which 

 falls into the river Arrow just below, runs close to the camp upon its 

 eastern side, while the river itself almost washes the base of the western 

 ramparts ; in former days therefore the stronghold would be well pro- 

 tected on three of its sides by water and by marsh and swamp. The 

 ancient Icknield Street passes only a few yards away from the entrench- 

 ment on the north-east. 



Various writers have described these earthworks as Roman, 1 without 

 producing adequate evidence in support of the statement ; as far as mere 

 appearances go, the remains resemble the angular variety of camp de- 

 scribed under Class B 11 ' 



KENILWORTH. There are here interesting remains of earthworks 

 of diverse ages and descriptions. The stately castle is based upon an 

 earlier mount and court fort, some of the earth foundations of which are 

 still traceable. Earthworks of contemporary origin once aided in the 

 defence of the great mediaeval stronghold of masonry ; these are of 

 two kinds : firstly, the scientifically designed embankments which were 

 constructed for the purpose of damming up the waters of the two streams 

 and the ancient pool in order to form the great lakes and broad moats 

 which once encircled the castle ; secondly, an elaborate system of ram- 

 parts and ditches, which formed strong outworks for the protection of 

 the dam of the upper lake, and also of the approaches to the entrance 

 gate situated upon it. 



The spot where Kenilworth Castle stands was well chosen for de- 

 fensive purposes ; it is a knoll of rock and gravel which forms a head- 

 land just below the junction of two streams, viz. the Inchford brook on 

 the south and one of its nameless tributaries on the west ; on the east 

 side there is also a little valley running down to the first named brook, 

 which probably contained water and swamp in earlier days ; the low 

 lying ground at the junction of the two streams was originally an exten- 

 sive pool, mention of which is made in the foundation charter to Kenil- 

 worth Abbey which was drawn up early in the twelfth century. 



Upon this naturally strong site therefore some lord of the place in 

 early days would seem to have constructed a mount and court fort of 

 earth and timber. The extant traces of this have been carefully exam- 

 ined by the late Mr. G. T. Clark, and are well described by him. 2 He 

 considered that the original moated mound, which is not now distinctly 

 to be identified, occupied either a spot close to John of Gaunt's Hall or, 

 and more probably, the site of the present Norman keep now called 

 Caesar's Tower ; both of these buildings are seen to be connected with 

 ancient earthworks, and the keep still encloses within its area an arti- 

 ficial mount, some 10 to 15 feet high, against which its walls are built. 

 The inner ward of the castle apparently occupies the site of the principal 

 courtyard of the early fort ; it is about i acres in extent ; its north- 



1 Bloxam in B'ham. and Mid. Inst. Arch. Trans. (1875), PP- 3 1 . 3 8 > Burgess in ditto (1872) 

 p. 87. 



2 Clark's Mil. Archil, vol. ii. pp. 130-52. 



379 



