ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



erected, but probably the open moat completely surrounded the original 

 work. 



The partial destruction of the moating in other portions of its 

 circuit may to some extent be due to natural silting, but mainly to 

 artificial filling with earth in modern times to prevent the flow of water 

 from a stream which contributed largely to the original defences. 



The stream, a tributary of the Medway, which it joins under the 

 castle walls, was tapped on the north-west of the work to flow round 

 the courts, and to supply the moat of the high mount with water. 



On the south-east of the mount is the base-court or bailey, second 

 in importance to the keep mount, which is protected on the south by a 

 high wall of stone ' with an inner bank of earth, and has on the east 

 and north a fosse or moat with an inner rampart of earth, on the summit 

 of which stood a stone wall connected with that on the south, but here 

 probably, as on the mount, the first defences were of timber. The 

 moat of this court was carried in a wide sweep to the north-west, thus 

 forming a second court as shown on the plan ; though now much 

 destroyed the course of the moat is evident, but its rampart of earth or 

 stone has almost disappeared, excepting at the castle gate. The western 

 side of this second court was protected by the stream. The land at A 

 on plan would be under water in early days, and it is not unlikely that a 

 water-gate existed where the banking of the stream so nearly touches 

 the counter-scarp of the moat appertaining to the mount. 



The castle and its precincts being in possession of the urban 

 authorities are well known to visitors, but few are aware that portions 

 of outworks, forming the ancient town-wall, exist, and that the course 

 can be traced throughout (see plan). 



These works on the north and east, combining with water defence 

 on the south and west, form a roughly semicircular enclosure sufficiently 

 similar to some promontory camps to raise the question whether it also 

 is not the work of pre-Roman Britons, but having no knowledge of 

 discoveries to prove this, we must assume the town ramparts to be 

 co-eval with the castle works, and trust that care will be taken to 

 preserve the fragments which remain. 



It seems likely that some of the water of the western stream 

 which fed the castle moats may have been diverted to fill a part, at 

 least, of the moat outside the town rampart. 



LIST OF HOMESTEAD MOATS 



[Class F] 

 Ash (by Sandwich) : Chequers Court.— Bilsington : Court Lodge.— To the west 

 Moat with an extension of western side south of the church this very complete moat remains, 

 of main work, probably originally a double Bilsington : Priory. — The site of the 

 island moat, may be traced. Priory of Augustine canons (founded 1253) 



Benenden : Manor House. — Nearly three- retains portions of its moating — and another 

 quarters of the old moat still exist. partly moated enclosure adjoins. 



» Now, alas ! this mediaeval waU is hidden by rampant ivy, and being further destroyed by roots of 

 trees growing above. 



\ 425 H 



