REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1906 41 



into the spacious Castle surrounding a quadrangular court- 

 yard, which now commands the valley of the Tyne. In 

 the plan of the completed structure the keep occupies the 

 Eastern side of the square, and contains portions of two 

 plain barrel-vaults, one of which at the level of the hall-floor 

 is semi-circular, and the other which forms the roof of the 

 hall is slightly pointed. Its original entrance lay to the 

 North, whence a straight stair in the thickness of the wall 

 led to the upper floor. This doorway conducted also to the 

 dungeon, familiarly known as "Massy-more," a title probably 

 derived from a Saracenic word, Mazmorra, designating a 

 Moorish dungeon. The general features of this inhospitable 

 lodging resemble those of Dunstanburgh and Chillingham, 

 to which the significant term of otiblieUe has been applied. 

 The first extensions of the building lay to the South and 

 West, and in all probability were the work of the Lord 

 Chancellor, many of their architectural features corresponding 

 with those of Douue and Tantallon belonging to the same 

 period. A new fashion of supplying private dining and 

 retiring rooms for the family and guests having come into 

 vogue in the 17th century, a further extension in a suite 

 of apartments to the North of the quadrangle was carried 

 out above a graceful portico, decorated with entablatures 

 bearing anchors and the initials L.S.M. About the same 

 period the old circular staircase gave place to the modern 

 square model, an illustration of which novelty may be seen 

 in this latest addition. All the stones of this North front 

 are chiselled into diamond facets, the angular projections of 

 which present an unusually rich appearance. The lower 

 part of the exterior wall, which is thicker than that of the 

 superstructure, may have formed the much earlier surrounding 

 wall of the keep. A building to the South of the Castle, 

 and styled by some the Chapel, is flanked by strong buttresses 

 and entered by doors in the centre of the North and South 

 walls. To all appearance it had consisted of a single vaulted 

 story, the buttresses being added to resist the thrust of the 

 roof ; but at a later period it had been raised to furnish 

 rooms whose windows still remain. It is generally believed 

 to have been used for stables, with sleeping apartments 

 overhead. 



