ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



under consideration in this chapter ; he speaks of its ditch as ' very- 

 deep and side almost perpendicular,' and tells us that the ' area within 

 the ditches' is 8 acres, the castle standing on an eminence at the north- 

 west of the enclosure. 



So extensive have been the alterations in modern days that there 

 is little tangible evidence of earthwork defences, but from the position 

 of the old keep in relation to the surroundings we may assume that in 

 Norman days the work was such as we include in Class E. 



It is believed that a Roman castrum occupied the site, and many 

 relics of the Roman period have been discovered ; it is also stated that 

 the Danes sacked a Saxon stronghold here in 838 or 851 a.d., but 

 these matters pertain to other sections of this History/ 



Dover Castle. — This castle was formed out of a natural hill 

 some 300 ft. above the English Channel, which lies at its foot : the 

 high land continues on the north, but at a slightly lower level. The 

 position is naturally defended on the south by the chalk cliffs, which are 

 practically perpendicular for about 200 ft., also by the fall of the hill 

 east and west to a greater or less extent. The accompanying plan is the 

 result of an attempt to show the entrenchments as they existed in 

 Norman times. The entrenchments and masonry are not now in their 

 original condition, great alterations having been made at the beginning 

 of the nineteenth century in expectation of a French invasion, as also 

 earHer and later. By the courteous permission of Colonel Owen, com- 

 manding Dover Defences, the writer has made a careful examination of 

 the earthworks as they stand, and with the help of two plans of 

 the castle in the British Museum (King's Room) dated 1737 and 

 1756, and the Ordnance Survey published in 18 19, and his general 

 knowledge of the usual method of construction of such castles, 

 suggests that the work existed upon the lines shown. The shape, 

 proportions and measurements must be regarded as approximate only. 

 The earthworks thus formed : (i) The Mount on the south which 

 occupies the highest portion of the hill, the summit of which was 

 ramparted and strengthened with a wall of masonry ; the fall of the 

 hill east, south and west was sharply scarped by the digging of a 

 ditch, and lower down a second ditch was added to the defence ; 

 upon this mount stands the ancient tower commonly called the Pharos 

 and the Church. (2) The Bailey, itself rather a platform than 

 the usual horseshoe courtyard, apparently had no rampart, but was 

 defended with a curtain of masonry, and within this curtain stands 

 the stone Keep erected about 11 50 a.d.; possibly the masonry took 

 the place of timber. The bailey had its own ditch either complete 

 all round or on most sides. (3) A Middle Ward, either the whole 

 space shown between the two main enclosures, or what is more likely 

 a much smaller space to the west of the section P-Q, the space shown 



' The site of the stronghold is noteworthy. The prehistoric trackway long known as the Pilgrim 

 Way passes within 50 yds. of the works, and they appear originally to have been sited, not in the best 

 position for defence, but to command the trackway. 



413 



