338 MR. J. T. HOTBLACK ON THE NORWICH CASTLE MOUND. 
I. 
NORWICH CASTLE MOUND. 
By J. T. Hotblack, F.G.S. 
Read 25 th September, 1906. 
The history of the Castle Mound at Norwich has for a long 
time been very much discussed. There has been considerable 
difference of opinion as to when it was raised. Is it a pre- 
Roman work, or did the Saxons raise it and place one of their 
wooden stockades on the top of it ? Or is it no older than 
the Norman Keep which even now crowns it ? I do not 
think that its age has been at all satisfactorily disposed of, 
and I am very loth to agree with some recent opinions which 
would make it no older than the Normans. One argument 
used against the Norman theory has been that it could not 
have consolidated sufficiently, if they raised it, to carry the 
weight of their very heavy stone Castle. But then the question 
arises : To what extent is it an artificially raised Mound ? 
I think the general opinion has been that it was entirely 
artificial, and this view seemed to be confirmed by the report 
made as to the sinking of a bore-hole inside the Keep at the 
time of its conversion into a Museum Gallery, which was said 
to have been taken down to the level of the present bottom 
of the Moat, through made soil all the way, undisturbed black 
alluvial being found, if I remember rightly, at the bottom of 
all. Now by the ever to be lamented work of the County in 
preparing for their new monstrosity, we know that, at all 
events on the side next the Shirehall, the whole of the mound 
is not artificial, but that those raising it, whoever they were, 
took advantage of a natural hill or cliff, which they found 
ready to their hand, and only added to it to make their mound. 
I have had photographs taken, and myself made sketches 
