PLYMPTON CASTLE. 261 
a precaution, not only in the superstructure as at Plympton, but 
in other parts of the building. Cavities left by the decay of such 
ties are to be seen at Rochester, Dinas Powis, and elsewhere. 
The round holes are as easily accounted for. They are, of course, 
the “utlog holes,” as they are called by builders, being the holes 
in which were placed the small pieces of wood by which the floor 
of the scaffolding used in the construction of the building was 
supported. These were removed, or, perhaps, only cut off close to 
the wall, and the parts embedded, which have since decayed lke 
the larger ties, allowed to remain. 
The foundations of the wall project a little with a set-off. 
These footings are only to be seen on the outside. Inside, the soil 
has accumulated to a varying depth of from five to six feet. The 
greatest height of any portion of the existing wall is eighteen feet 
on the outside, and twelve feet eight inches inside. This is on the 
north-east. On the south-east the height is seventeen feet outside, 
and eleven feet six inches inside. The total circumference of the 
remaining wall is ninety-nine feet six inches. 
I have seen it stated somewhere * that the mound has sunk in 
the middle, and that this is a confirmation of the story that it is 
hollow, and that there is a communication with the Priory. This 
is evidently a variation of the cat story. The Norman is not 
likely to have placed his keep upon a foundation that was hollow. 
There is no indication of anything of the kind, the whole surface 
now being tolerably level. 
The entrance to a rectangular keep was usually upon the first or 
second floor, but in a shell keep the entrance was upon the ground 
level; that is, the level of the surface of the mound. It is probable 
that the entrance at Plympton was towards the west, and certainly 
on the ground level. How the mound was ascended is not very 
clear ; but for some time after the completion of the keep the mode 
of access would be by steps in the side of the mound ; later it is 
likely that communications were constructed between it and the 
rest of the new fortress up the ramparts. It is evident, if I 
am correct in supposing that the antient encampment extended 
beyond the mound, that the Norman did not use the whole of the 
space in planning the new fortress. He abandoned the works to 
the east, and stopped on that side with the mound and the new 
keep. Whether the antient works did go further or not, it is 
* Chattaway, “ Gentleman’s Magazine,” vol. c. p. 301. April, 1830. 
VOL. VI. 8 
