MEDIAEVAL CASTLES AND WALLED TOWNS ON THE COAST
MEDIAEVAL CASTLES AND WALLED TOWNS ON THE COAST
In the following account of the more important of the castles which in
mediaeval times guarded the coast, it has been found convenient to
include a notice of those walled towns with which, in many cases, they
were closely associated. The mediaeval castle, generally speaking,
represents an effort to maintain the power of the feudal lord, and, in
a lesser and secondary degree, provision for resisting raids and
invasion by foreign enemies. Walled towns, on the other hand, when
situated on or near the coasts, or on navigable rivers, were primarily
designed for coast defence. The mediaeval castles which were built in
situations remote from the coast were the fastnesses and strongholds
of nobles fighting amongst themselves or against the king.
In the following accounts of the more important examples of castles
and walled towns wholly or partially designed for the defence of the
coast, occasion will be taken to point out the interesting series of
developments through which these mediaeval fortifications passed as
time went on. For example:
The massive keep of the Norman castles was able to resist fire and
battering-ram when the besieging force came near enough to apply them.
Its strength consisted in its thick walls, its height, and its massive
masonry. The Edwardian castle, on the other hand, presents certain
structural improvements which mark a great advance in military
construction. The walls, gates, and towers are so built as to present
curved surfaces to the engines of the enemy, with the result that
missiles hurled against them would glance off at various angles
according to the direction of the curve at the point of impact. The
extent to which this development of the curve is carried in the walls
of many of the Edwardian castles is quite remarkable and instructive.
It shows that mere weight and bulk were no longer relied upon, but
constructive skill and the judicious use of materials were guiding
principles in the military architecture of the period.
The following list does not include the sixteenth century blockhouses
and other fortifications erected by Henry VIII, and in subsequent
years.
The defences on the eastern coast of England consist of an extremely
interesting and important series of fortresses. In the extreme north
is--
_Berwick-upon-Tweed_, a town which, from its position on the English
and Scottish border, has always been a place of strategic moment, and
which Queen Elizabeth spoke of as "the chief key of the realm." In the
time of Edward I (1272-1307) it was encompassed by a great moat, or
ditch, 80 feet wide and 40 feet deep. A crenelated wall from 15 to 22
feet high, with 19 towers at intervals, was constructed during the
reign of Edward II (1307-1327). A castle had been erected at Berwick
during the reign of Henry II, and together with the Edwardian wall and
ditch must have formed an extremely formidable defence.
The mediaeval fortifications included a large area, and in the time of
Elizabeth a portion within this area was enclosed and strengthened by
works of more modern character, the main features of which comprised
five examples of the orillon type of bastion. The orillon was an
enclosure of flattened triangular form, projecting beyond the curtain.
The middle angle was obtuse, and the passage from the opening in the
curtain into the bastion was somewhat restricted. It is obvious that
such a bastion as this, which was introduced into England in the
latter half of the sixteenth century, would give the maximum range for
defensive fire, whilst affording most valuable means of protecting the
flanks.
The fortifications of Berwick-upon-Tweed were primarily intended for
defence against the Scottish Border raiders and incursions coming
overland, but they also served to protect the town against the enemy
approaching by sea.
_Bamborough._--The site of this castle must have been a place of great
natural strength, and probably a fortress, from prehistoric times
downwards. It would not be inaccurate to describe it as one of the
important and historic spots in the kingdom. The castle dates from a
period before the Norman Conquest. Here the Danish raiders were
successfully repelled in 912. The castle was maintained in a good
state of defence under Henry I, and the keep is of the twelfth
century. Structural repairs were made at frequent intervals, viz., in
1183, 1197, 1198, 1201, and 1202. A new gatehouse was built here in
consequence of the invasions of the Scots in 1383-4.
On several occasions Bamborough Castle has served as a prison, and it
was brought into considerable prominence during the Wars of the Roses.
The part it played in the various wars between England and Scotland
must have been important.[16]
_Dunstanburgh._--Situated on a bold, rugged headland, this fine castle
reminds one of such great fortresses on the east coast as Scarborough
and Tynemouth. Its share in the Border troubles was perhaps less than
that of Bamborough. Dunstanburgh is the largest castle in
Northumberland, is built on a remarkable plan, and comprises an area
of ten acres, the main part of which was occupied by the outer bailey.
Its history is associated with Simon de Montfort and Thomas of
Lancaster.
The castle was mainly erected in 1313-14. The great gatehouse of the
latter part of the fourteenth century, was planned and built on a
colossal scale, and still forms a striking object, even in its ruin.
By the sixteenth century the place had fallen into ruin.[17]
_Warkworth._--This castle, remarkable for its eccentric plan, was
built about the middle of the twelfth century.
_Tynemouth._--The priory and castle of Tynemouth (for it was a
combination of both) occupied a prominent position among the mediaeval
coast defences of England. The office of Prior of Tynemouth was one of
great importance. The person who held it was possessed of vast
spiritual and worldly influence. He maintained his own armed force,
just as the Bishop of Durham did, and the gatehouse[18] of the
priory was in reality a military fortress, a building of great
solidity and strength. It was approached by a barbican, the
passage-way being vaulted and furnished with a gate at each end.[19]
_Scarborough._--This place was defended by walls or earthworks and a
fosse before the time of Henry III. Its castle was built as early as
the time of Stephen, and rebuilt or enlarged in the reign of Henry II.
During the Civil War Scarborough Castle was besieged. It was
surrendered in 1645, and has long been in ruins. It enclosed nineteen
acres of land and occupied a romantic site 300 feet above sea-level.
_Hull._--From an early period this seaport has been defended by
fortifications. In the seventeenth century these comprised a moat and
a complete system of walls, fortified gates, and drawbridges. It
possessed five gates, called Hessle Gate, Myton Gate, Beverley Gate,
Low Gate, and North Gate, and two sally-ports. The whole fortified
walls were 2,610 yards, or slightly less than one-and-a-half miles in
circuit. In front of the principal gates were drawbridges and
half-moon shaped batteries. In the year 1540 the eastern side of the
town was defended by two blockhouses, erected by Henry VIII. These
were known as the North Blockhouse and the South Blockhouse, and both
mounted guns when the town was besieged during the Civil War. A castle
was also built on the eastern side of the town by Henry VIII.
_King's Lynn._--The eastern side of this important town was in former
times defended by a wall strengthened by nine bastions, and by a broad
and deep fosse over which were three drawbridges leading to the
principal gates. One of the latter and fragments of the wall remain.
From the statement of Stow in his "Chronicle," and from certain
illustrations of the walls as they existed in 1800, we may infer that
the walls at any rate belonged to the first half of the thirteenth
century. The East Gate and the West Gate were rebuilt on the sites of
earlier gates in the fifteenth century.
[Illustration: FIG. 19. NORTH GATE, YARMOUTH, 1807]
_Yarmouth._--The town-wall, of which some traces remain, measured
between six and seven thousand feet in compass, and possessed ten
gates and sixteen towers. Swinden,[20] the historian of Yarmouth,
states that the building of the wall
"was begun on the east side, and very probably at the north-east
tower in St. Nicholas's churchyard, and so proceeded southward:
for in the 11th of Edward III we find them at work at the Black
Friars, at the south end of the town; and afterwards we trace
them to the north end, which, I presume, was the last part that
was finished.
"And there is a tradition, that the north gate was built by the
person or persons who had amassed considerable sums of money by
being employed in burying the dead in the time of the plague.
"As soon as the walls were finished, there was made a moat or
ditch round the town, with bridges at each gate: the whole so
complete that boats could pass with their lading to any part
of the town, for the conveniency of trade and commerce. And so
careful were the magistrates to preserve the said moat from
being filled or stopped with earth, rubbish, stones, etc., that
in the rolls of the leets, there appear several fines, levied
on different persons for offending in that behalf. Thus the
tower being fortified with a wall and moat, towers, gates, and
bars, was deemed a sufficient defence against all assailants
with bows and arrows, slings, battering-rams, and all other
missive engines of those times. But afterwards, when great guns
of various denominations were employed in sieges, the aforesaid
fortification, it was adjudged, would make but little resistance
against them, without several additional works, as mounts,
ravelins, etc."
[Illustration: FIG. 20. SOUTH GATE, YARMOUTH, 1807]
In the 36th year of Henry VIII the fortifications of Yarmouth were
strengthened by rampiring, or backing up the walls by earthwork
mounds. Additional works were constructed by Queen Mary in 1557, and
by Queen Elizabeth, the complete process of rampiring not having been
finished until 1587, the year before the coming of the Spanish armada.
In the following year it was considered desirable to secure the haven
against any sudden attacks of the enemy, and it was accordingly
decided to construct jetties of timber on either side of the entrance,
whilst across the actual entrance was placed a boom of massive timbers
furnished with iron spikes, and this was so constructed that it could
be opened or closed at pleasure. This work, including probably the two
jetties and the boom, cost £120.
Traces of the wall of Yarmouth and its towers still remain, whilst
other evidence of the wall is the extraordinary way in which the
houses are crowded together, leaving only narrow alleys, or "rows,"
for the traffic. A plan of Yarmouth in 1819, published as a
frontispiece to John Preston's "Picture of Yarmouth," shows in an
admirable way the congested state of the buildings within the walls.
[Illustration: FIG. 21. ST. MATTHEW'S GATE, IPSWICH
From a print published in 1785]
_Ipswich._--There is a tradition that Ipswich was defended by a wall
and fortified gates soon after the time of the Norman Conquest, but
unfortunately no traces of either remain. Westgate Street preserves
the memory of the picturesque West Gate. The interesting old
engraving shows St. Matthew's Gate, now demolished. There appears to
have been a castle at Ipswich built by William the Conqueror, and
Roger Bigot, one of the Conqueror's powerful nobles, held it. With the
exception of certain earthworks all traces of the castle have
perished. The form of the town in mediaeval times has been made out by
John Wodderspoon in his "Memorials of Ipswich," 1850.
_Orford._--This castle, situated half a mile from the River Ore, in
Suffolk (hence its name), commands a view of the sea, two miles
distant, owing to the fact that it is built on a mound partly natural
and partly artificial. All round is swampy ground.
[Illustration: FIG. 22. ORFORD CASTLE, SUFFOLK, 1810]
The building of Orford Castle was begun in 1166. Strictly speaking,
perhaps, it should not be called a castle: it was essentially a keep,
and its purpose primarily was to serve as an outpost for observation
and for the protection of the coast. The plan of the actual keep, if
so we may term it, was peculiar, being circular within, and so much
modified by the buttresses without as to present the appearance of
a large number of angles.
_Harwich._--This ancient seaport situated on the extreme north-eastern
point of Essex has always been a place of some strategic importance.
It formerly was encompassed by a wall which had four gates and three
posterns. In addition Harwich once possessed a small castle and other
fortifications, but owing to the inroads of the sea these have for
many years been submerged. Traces of the walls or foundations of the
castle were seen, however, in 1784, when an unusually low tide laid
bare more than usual of the sea-bottom.
On the south side of the town are some ancient earthworks locally
ascribed to the Romans, although upon slender evidence.
_Colchester_, which is situated on the river Colne, and perhaps not
too far from the shore to take some part in the defence of the coast,
has been in its time a place of great importance and of formidable
strength. Its walls, of which considerable parts remain, are of Roman
workmanship, and its castle, built largely of Roman materials, and
therefore by some regarded as Roman in date, is almost unquestionably
of Norman construction. It must be admitted, however, that the castle
presents several features which differentiate it from the normal
castles of the Norman period. Originally the walls were furnished with
four principal gates, viz.: Head Gate, North Gate, East Gate, and St.
Botolph's or South Gate, and three posterns, viz.: West Postern in St.
Mary's Street, Schere Gate or South Postern, and Rye Gate or River
Postern, but these have been demolished. The north and west sides of
the town were defended by strong earthworks. The place was besieged
for eleven weeks during the Civil War. It was held by the Royalist
party, and on its fall, two of its most gallant defenders, Sir Charles
Lucas and Sir George Lisle, were shot under the castle walls.
The weakness of mediaeval castles, built merely for passive
resistance, has frequently been noticed, and what is true of them is
equally true of the mediaeval walled town. Forces shut up within walls
are obviously unable to prevent an enemy from over-running a country.
It must be borne in mind, however, that the purpose of fortifications
behind walls was not, and never has been, merely intended to oppose
the ravages of the enemy. In that part of our military history which
is subsequent to the use of gunpowder, the uses of walled defence has
been varied and manifold. For example: they were intended to check the
enemy's advance; to give time for mobilization; to protect the
strategical disposition of the army, especially in the early stages of
a campaign; to protect important junctions in the lines of
communications; and to safeguard magazines and stores against sudden
and surprise attack of the enemy.
_Cowling._--The castle at Cowling or Cooling, situated about seven
miles to the east of Gravesend, and just two from the sea-shore, was
built between 1380 and 1385 by John de Cobham. The gatehouse, built
in the regular form in vogue during the latter end of the fourteenth
century, and comparable with that at Saltwood Castle and the West
Gate of Canterbury, still remains in good preservation, as well as a
good deal of the walls and angle-towers enclosing the inner ward, and
certain parts of the walling enclosing the outer ward. The gatehouse
just referred to is on the south side of the outer ward, to which it
gives access.
[Illustration: FIG. 23. COWLING CASTLE, KENT, 1784]
Perhaps one of the most interesting things about Cowling Castle is the
fact that it was built expressly for the defence of the coast against
the French and the Spanish. This fact is rather pointedly referred to
in the following contemporary inscription enamelled on copper plates
attached to the eastern side of the gatehouse:
Knouweyth that beth and schul be
That i am mad in help of the cuntre
In knowyng of whych thyng
This is chartre and wytnessyng.
The inscription is set out in the form of a regular charter, to which
is attached a seal bearing the Cobham arms, gules, on a chevron or,
three lions rampant sable.
The situation of Cowling Castle on low-lying ground near the coast is
a circumstance which confirms the idea that the fortress was built for
coast defence purposes. On the other hand, however, inscriptions of
this kind are of great rarity, and it has been suggested with great
show of reason, that whilst the purpose was partly for the defence of
the coast and partly to keep the people of Kent in order in what were
peculiarly troubled times, the inscription was so worded as to divert
attention from the latter. The suggestion is worthy of consideration,
but the fact remains that towards the end of the fourteenth century
this part of Kent was overrun by Frenchmen and Spaniards, who burned
and destroyed all the houses they came across, and Cobham's intention
in building Cowling Castle was to check these incursions.
_Rochester._--It is clear that Rochester has in its time been an
important part of our coast defences. It still retains many fragments
of its Roman wall, whilst its Norman castle is represented mainly by a
stately keep 70 feet square in plan, and 113 feet in height, which
forms an impressive object, and is in fact a remarkably fine example
of castle-building. The Norman keep was built between the years 1126
and 1139. The city wall, which was built in places on the site of the
Roman wall, dates from the year 1225.
_Queenborough._--There is a tradition, possibly it is little more,
that a residence of the Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent was situated here
near the north-western mouth of the Swale, the building being
afterwards known as the castle of Sheppey, in which island it is
situated. The whole fortress was rebuilt by Edward III about the year
1361 according to plans made by William of Wykeham. Edward III in due
course visited the place and gave it the name of Queenborough in
honour of his queen Philippa.
As a coast defence a fortress on this site must have been of great
value, commanding as it did the north-western mouth of the Swale, and
protecting the water which divides the Isle of Sheppey from the
mainland.
Henry VIII recognized the value of this point, and repaired it so as
to make it suitable for use as one of his coast castles.
The plan of the mediaeval fortress, as might be expected when one
remembers who designed it, is ingenious and remarkable.
[Illustration: FIG. 24. PLAN OF QUEENBOROUGH CASTLE, KENT]
The main interest of this castle consists in its plan, which proves it
to have been perhaps the earliest example of a fort as distinct from a
typical castle of the middle ages, in which there was always a
certain amount of accommodation for dwelling-house purposes.
Queenborough Castle contained, mainly in its six lofty circular
towers, more than fifty rooms, but these were of small size. The
building of the castle was commenced in 1361 and finished about the
year 1367. The plan was curiously symmetrical, and not unlike that of
Camber Castle, built in the time of Henry VIII, but the elevations of
the two fortresses display great differences. The lofty towers of
Queenborough, serviceable enough in the fourteenth century when
artillery attacks offered no serious menace, are wanting in Camber
Castle, built in the sixteenth century, and their place is taken by
low squat towers which offered little surface for cannon-shot.
[Illustration: FIG. 25. QUEENBOROUGH CASTLE, 1784
From a drawing by Hollar]
_Canterbury._--There were really two castles at Canterbury in quite
early times. The first, largely perhaps of earthwork, was the work of
Duke William of Normandy, and was constructed on and near what is now
the most southern point of the city wall. The purpose of the first
castle was to dominate and overawe the inhabitants of the city, and
also to furnish a convenient post for observing the surrounding
country. The castle was provided with a lofty moated mound for this
particular purpose. The hill called the Dane John has sometimes been
confounded with the original mound of the castle, but as a matter of
fact the two were not related in any way, the castle mound having been
destroyed many years ago, whilst that known as the Dane John was
erected in the eighteenth century.
The masonry castle, the ruined keep of which stands to the north-west
of the earlier castle, was built by Henry II between 1166 and 1174.
The keep measures in plan 88 feet by 80 feet, and, owing to the upper
storey having been pulled down in 1817, measures now only 45 feet in
height. The castle was originally enclosed by a rampart and wall with
several towers, and had its own gate to the city, and a barbican on
its eastern side.
[Illustration: FIG. 26. CANTERBURY CASTLE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY]
The city of Canterbury was enclosed by a wall built about the same
time as the castle (1166-1174). There were seven gates in the wall
giving access to the city, viz.: (1) Newingate, or St. George's Gate;
(2) Ridingate; (3) Worthgate; (4) Westgate; (5) Northgate; (6)
Burgate; and (7) Queeningate. From the evidence of various old
engravings it is apparent that several of the gates had been rebuilt
at different times. Westgate, the only one of the group which now
survives, was erected in the reign of Richard II, and is an unusually
good example of the mediaeval town-gate furnished, as it once was,
with portcullis, machicolations, and other apparatus for defence. It
is also a building of great beauty both of masonry and proportion.
_Broadstairs._--This small town on the north-east coast of Kent, which
in former times did a good deal of trade in connection with the North
Sea fishing, still retains considerable traces of a gate, probably of
the fifteenth century, which commanded the only means of access from
the harbour to the town through a cutting in the chalk cliff. It is
known as York Gate, and although altered and repaired, still possesses
the massive lower part of the original gateway of flint and stone, and
the grooves for the portcullis.
[Illustration: FIG. 27. THE FISHER GATE, SANDWICH, KENT]
_Sandwich._--The chief traces of the fortifications of this ancient
and once important town are an earthern rampart or wall of
considerable extent, a deep fosse, and two interesting and
picturesque gates.
We know that Sandwich once possessed a castle, and this probably in
Anglo-Saxon times, but its site is a matter of uncertainty. It must be
borne in mind that for many centuries Sandwich was the principal port
for traffic and merchandise to and from the Continent. It possessed a
mint in the Anglo-Saxon period, doubtless in the castle, and times out
of number it has taken an important part in repelling invading enemies
and in preserving the peace and liberty of our shores.
The Fisher Gate, although buried to some depth in an accumulation of
soil, retains several interesting features. One can still see the
grooves for its portcullis and the recessed space in its outer wall
into which the drawbridge fitted when drawn up. The gate is
constructed of flints and stone, a certain proportion of which are
squared blocks of sandstone, which from their size and shape may well
have been derived from the walls of the ruined castrum of
Richborough, less than two miles distant.
[Illustration: FIG. 28. THE BARBICAN GATE, SANDWICH, KENT]
The Barbican is a peculiarly picturesque structure commanding the
entrance to the town on the south-east side by the ancient ferry
across the river Stour, which at this point is tidal and often rapid
and deep. There is a modern bridge. The gateway, which is flanked by
two towers presenting externally semicircular walls, is largely of
Tudor masonry, arranged in chess-board fashion in black flint and
grey stone, and long flat bricks. On the southern side of the gateway
a modern door has been made into the south tower. Splayed embrasures
commanding the approach are visible within the tower. According to
local tradition these were intended for cannon. The upper part of the
gate is a modern restoration in woodwork.
Sandwich originally possessed five gates, but those described are the
only two which have survived.
_Dover Castle._--For the last seven and a half centuries Dover Castle
has been justly considered a fortress of paramount importance in the
defence of England. Its site is remarkable for more than one reason.
The steepness of the chalk cliffs towards the sea, and the abruptness
of the other slopes, natural and artificial, which encircle it on the
land side, give a peculiarly difficult, indeed, impregnable character
to the fortress. The height of the hill on which the castle stands
close to the narrowest part of the Channel which separates our shores
from those of the Continent renders it a spot of unusual importance
for the purposes of observing the approach of an enemy coming across
the Straits of Dover.
Although there are no certain traces of defensive works on the eastern
heights of Dover before the time of the Norman Conquest, the natural
advantages of the site, and Caesar's own words make it probable that
some kind of camp or look-out post was established at Dover in
prehistoric times. However, this is a matter of conjecture which lacks
the confirmation of actual archaeological evidence.
One of the first acts of the Norman Conqueror was to establish his
power over the English by building earthwork castles, and such a work
was thrown up on the eastern heights of Dover. Its form and extent are
unknown, but it may, with reasonable probability, be conjectured that
its central eminence was that upon which the keep was subsequently
erected in the reign of Henry II.
Dover Castle, as it exists to-day, presents a good example of the
amalgamated defences of several different architectural periods. Its
important position as the "Clavis et repagulum Angliae," gives it a
national rather than local importance, and every part of it is of
historical interest. As a fortress which from Norman times, almost
without intermission to the present day, has retained its garrison and
maintained a foremost place in the defence of the realm, Dover Castle
deserves more than a passing notice in these pages.
During the reign of Henry I (1100-1135) masonry began to take the
place of earthwork defences, but in due time the need of stronger
defences became apparent, and during the reign of Henry II (1154-1189)
the keep, citadel, and defensive works to the north were carried out
at the enormous expense of nearly £5,000.
The keep, one of the most important of the new works, forms a striking
feature of the castle. In plan it is practically square, measuring 98
feet by 96 feet, exclusive of the fore-building, with walls at the
lowest stage no less than 24 feet in thickness. This is amongst the
largest buildings of its class in this country. Each of its three
floors, basement, and first and second storeys, is occupied by two
large apartments, those on the second floor being the chief or state
apartments and possessing two tiers of windows.
Dover Castle suffered a siege in 1137, and again in 1216. The latter
occurred under the second constableship of Hubert de Burgh at the
hands of the Dauphin Louis of France. (See the section on the Cinque
Ports, pp. 196-204.)
After this siege Dover Castle was strengthened by the construction of
an additional defensive work, commanding the plateau to the north of
the castle, and other works, including a subterranean passage,
excavated in the solid chalk, which still exists. These works were
carried out between 1220 and 1239. In 1371 a series of important
repairs was effected, and during the reign of Edward IV the Clopton
tower was rebuilt, and a sum of £10,000 was expended in placing Dover
Castle in a state of thorough repair.
[Illustration: FIG. 29. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF DOVER TOWN AND HARBOUR,
_temp._ QUEEN ELIZABETH]
Further important works were carried out by Henry VIII in connection
with his great scheme of coast defence. In addition to the
strengthening of the actual works of the castle, it appears that
"bulwarks under Dover Castle," probably near the level of the
sea-shore, and a "bulwark in the cliff" were constructed at this
period. An interesting plan of Dover, made in the time of Queen
Elizabeth, shows not only the Arckcliffe Bulwark and the Black
Bulwark, but also the walls and its towers inclosing the town of
Dover. The plan was published in the sixth volume of "Archaeologia,"
and is here reproduced in much reduced size by permission of the
Society of Antiquaries.
In June 1666, and again in July 1667, an invasion of Dover by the
Dutch fleet was expected. The invasion of this particular part of the
sea-coast was never carried out, but the castle was provisioned for a
siege, and it is probable that the actual fortifications were improved
and augmented.
In the earlier part of the eighteenth century Dover Castle appears to
have been much neglected, and an engraved view by Buck, published in
or about the year 1735, indicates that certain parts of it had become
almost ruinous; but in 1779, owing to the war with our colonies, as
well as France and Spain, Dover Castle was hastily placed in a state
of extra defence in order to resist the threatened invasion by our
enemies.
The period of the Napoleonic menace saw great improvements at Dover
Castle. Much of the underground work on the north side of the castle,
as well as in other parts, belongs to this period. Of these and later
works it is not necessary to speak in this volume. They belong to
defences which are still effective, and at the present moment Dover
Castle may be regarded as a fortress of enormous importance in the
safe-guarding of our shores.
_Folkestone._--No traces remain here of defensive work, but a castle
was built in quite early times, by William de Arcis, for the
protection of the town. Owing to the fall of the cliffs and the
inroads of the sea, this has long since been destroyed. It is probable
that there was some kind of protective work near the mouth of the
little river which here runs into the sea, but no traces seem to
remain.
_Saltwood._--Situated about two miles inland from Hythe, this castle
can hardly be described as a purely coast fortress, but it is such a
valuable example of the mediaeval castles of its time that it deserves
special attention. It must be remembered that the typical mediaeval
castle, with its elaborate defences, possessed a moral influence out
of all proportion to its strategic value. As soon as effective charges
of gunpowder were employed the weakness of mere walls of masonry
became at once apparent. Explosives were far more effective and
disconcerting than battering-rams.
Experience extending over many centuries teaches, what has been so
thoroughly proved by recent events on the Continent, that offensive
tactics are almost invariably preferable to those of a defensive
character, even when practised under the protection of the strongest
and most elaborate fortifications.
Still, as long as the only dangers were starvation and battering-rams,
the mediaeval castle was as nearly as possible a perfect form of
defence. Saltwood castle furnishes an excellent example of this.
[Illustration: FIG. 30. THE GATE-HOUSE, SALTWOOD CASTLE, KENT]
Its main structure is of late fourteenth century date. Elaborate and
complicated defences guarded the main entrance to the mediaeval
castle. Before the unwelcome visitor could enter, the following
obstacles had to be surmounted. First was the gateway in the outer
wall of defence, access to which was by means of a drawbridge spanning
a deep but perhaps dry moat. This first gateway was furnished with
portcullis, and heavy timber doors capable of offering formidable
resistance. The outer gateway passed, the invaders would proceed
across the outer bailey towards the inner and far stronger gatehouse,
exposed all the while to such missiles, arrows, cross-bow bolts, etc.,
as might be projected from the battlements and loop-holes of the
castle.
Here, at the entrance to the great gatehouse, the moat was generally
wide, deep, and filled with water. Supposing that the drawbridge was
down (a most unlikely circumstance), the enemy on approaching the
gates was confronted by the massive portcullis, and at least two pairs
of double timber gates beyond it, and whilst forcing the former he
would be within the range of heavy stones and every kind of dangerous
and unpleasant missile dropped or thrown from the machicolations
situated between the flanking towers almost on a level with the
battlements above. The massive and studded oak doors were constructed
of a material which was not easily fired, and they were barred with
oak beams of the strength and almost the consistency of steel. Even
when these were burnt or battered down the invaders would encounter a
flanking fusilade from the lateral passages.
On the other hand, if the drawbridge was up, it formed in itself an
extremely formidable barrier, because by means of chains passing
through holes in the wall it was drawn close to the gatehouse tower
and within the recess specially made to receive it, leaving the under
side of the bridge flush with the surface of the gatehouse wall.
It may be doubted whether anything in the whole range of military
architecture furnishes a more perfect system of defence than the
gateway, walls, ditches, moats, and drawbridges of a mediaeval castle;
and it seems probable that it would have proved invulnerable against a
direct attack from without had not the discovery of gunpowder put a
new and terrible weapon in the hands of the attacking force.
Elaborate precautions were taken to secure the walls of mediaeval
castles from attack. Experience proved that the massive masonry of
Norman times was inadequate. A new principle was universally adopted.
The plan of the castle was so arranged that every part of the
enclosing wall was commanded by means of mural towers. These additions
not only added to the passive strength of the work, but also when
placed within a bow-shot distance enabled the defenders, themselves
protected, to enfilade the intermediate curtain. Again, the use of
curved walls and mural towers gave free scope for constructive skill
and favoured the economical use of building materials.
_Rye._--Wall and gates were built by Edward III. Of these the Landgate
remains. The Ypres Tower, a work of the time of King Stephen, also
survives. The first wall was built in the time of Richard I, and of
this there are no traces, whilst of the wall built by Edward III one
finds very few traces.
_Winchelsea._--This town also was formerly walled and defended by
strong gates. Of the latter three still survive, viz., Strand Gate,
New Gate, and Land Gate.
_Hastings._--This was the first castle built in England by the Normans
after the Norman Conquest, and, in accordance with the plan of other
fortresses of the period, consisted of a mound (shown in the Bayeux
tapestry) and two, if not three, attached baileys. One of the baileys,
called "Ladies Parlour," is of rather small size, comprising little
more than one acre, a circumstance which has led Mr. Harold Sands,
F.S.A., an eminent authority on castles, to infer that it could not
have been the outer bailey. His inference was confirmed by the
discovery of the traces of another, and much larger, bailey,
containing about five acres, situated on the eastern and northern
sides.
The masonry part of the castle was probably erected in the years 1171
and 1172. Further important parts of the castle were subsequently
built, notably in 1173-4, etc. The fall of the sandstone cliff, due to
the inroads of the sea, has destroyed a very large part of these
works, and what remains is a comparatively small part of the area of
the castle.
The castle at Hastings mentioned in the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" as
having been built by the order of Robert, Earl of Mortain, is not to
be confounded with that fortress whose ruins crown the hill
overlooking Hastings. It was probably situated on the shore of the
western, or Priory valley at a point near the site of the present
railway station.
It may not be generally known that in former times Hastings was
protected on the sea side by a wall. This wall, which had a gateway
and portcullis, extended from the Castle Hill to the East Hill, and
was so arranged as to cut off the valley of the Bourne from the shore.
A portion of the wall is figured as being in existence in 1824, when
"The History and Antiquities of Hastings" was published by W. G. Moss.
Slight traces of the wall may still be seen. The steep character of
the hills of the Bourne valley rendered walls unnecessary on either
side. This wall at Hastings is in some ways comparable with the
defensive gate at Broadstairs already described.
A little to the west of this wall, situated on the very edge of the
shore, was formerly a fort, the memory of which is preserved in local
names.
_Pevensey._--The Roman castrum here, with its very interesting
masonry, has been described in the earlier part of this volume.
Reference has also been made to the construction of a mediaeval castle
within its area. It has long been supposed that there had been a
Norman keep, and this has been confirmed by recent excavation and
examination of the site.
_Bramber._--An early earthwork, possibly a Danish camp, at Bramber,
has already been mentioned. The site was granted by William the
Conqueror to William de Broase, and a massive castle, of which certain
ruins remain, was erected by him. It is now, owing to modifications of
our river systems, somewhat remote from the main stream of the
Shoreham River (incorrectly called the Adur), but there is every
reason to believe that at the time of the Danes, and probably long
after, it had a direct communication by water with the sea. Shoreham
itself, it may be added, in 1346, furnished no less than twenty-six
ships for Edward III's invasion of France.
_Portsmouth._--The existence of remains of the Roman castrum at
Porchester, situated on the upper waters of Portsmouth Harbour, goes
to show that in those early times the value of this part of the coast
as a great harbour was recognized. It is curious, therefore, that no
town of any importance was built at Portsmouth until the twelfth
century. The actual building of the town was commenced in the reign of
Richard I, and a charter was granted in the year 1194. Confirmation of
this charter was made at various dates by successive sovereigns, and
important additions to the privileges were made in 1627 by Charles I.
The town itself was defended by a wall with towers and gates, the date
of which is not clear; but from the position of the place on the south
coast, and open in a peculiar degree to invasion by the French, it is
reasonable to infer that the defences were made at an early period in
the history of the town, probably in the thirteenth or fourteenth
centuries.
[Illustration: FIG. 31. ENTRANCE TO PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR, _temp._ KING
HENRY VIII]
Leland in his "Itinerary" describes the defences as consisting of a
"mudde waulle armid with tymbre, whereon be great peaces both of yron
and brassen ordinaunces." The circuit of the town was a mile, and a
ditch was constructed outside the wall. Leland records that he heard
in the town that the defences of the entrance to the harbour ("the
tourres in the hauen mouth") were commenced in the reign of Edward IV,
continued in the time of Richard II, and finished in that of Henry
VII. In the time of Edward VI two towers of stone were built, one on
either side, at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, and a chain of
immense weight and strength was placed between them in such a way as
to form a defence against the advance of the ships of the enemy. The
actual chain, with large long links, is shown on a plan of Portsmouth
of the time of Queen Elizabeth.[21]
The approaches to Portsmouth, east and west, were commanded by several
forts and the two blockhouses, popularly known as Southsea Castle
and Hurst Castle, both works being of the time of Henry VIII.
[Illustration: FIG. 32. SOUTHSEA CASTLE, _temp._ KING HENRY VIII]
An extremely interesting picture, in the nature of a bird's-eye view,
of the defences of Portsmouth and the adjacent coast-line, extending
as far as the northern shores of the Isle of Wight, is given in the
engraving showing the encampment of the English forces near
Portsmouth, 1545, published many years ago by the Society of
Antiquaries of London. The original of this picture perished in the
fire which destroyed Cowdray House, the mansion of Viscount Montague,
at Midhurst, Sussex, but fortunately the Society of Antiquaries has
preserved for us the copy of a picture which is full of interest, as
illustrating the mediaeval walls of Portsmouth and the castles, forts,
and other works as well as the guns, ammunition, and methods of
working them, in vogue for the defence of the coast about the middle
of the sixteenth century. One can see, too, the two towers built at
the mouth of the harbour for carrying the chain which once protected
it. The picture also comprises a bird's-eye view of the naval
forces of England and France drawn up in battle order at the
commencement of the action between the two navies on 19 July 1545.
_Southampton._--For many years Southampton took such a prominent part
as a seaport, and was such a favourite town for landing and embarking
during the Middle Ages, that it would indeed be remarkable if it had
been left undefended. As a matter of fact its mediaeval walls and
towers and gates were peculiarly strong. The walls varied from 25 feet
to 30 feet in height, nearly 2,000 yards in length, and was
strengthened by 29 towers. There were seven principal gates, and four
of them, as well as large portions of the walls, remain. The gates
which remain are (1) the North, or Bar-gate; (2) God's House, or South
Castle-gate; (3) Westgate, and (4) the Postern, now known as Blue
Anchor-gate. The following have been destroyed: (1) East-gate; (2)
Biddle's-gate; and (3) the South, or Water-gate. There were also
formerly a Castle Water-gate (now walled up) and a Postern near the
Friary and God's House: the site of the latter is lost. The mural
towers were chiefly drums, or of half-round form. The masonry of the
wall, to a large extent, is of Norman work, and in some parts the
walls are rampired, or backed with earth to the summit.
[Illustration: FIG. 33. GROUND PLAN OF SOUTHAMPTON]
The castle at Southampton occupied not only nearly the whole of the
north-western corner of the area within the town-walls, but also the
highest ground. Although some authorities have regarded it as a Saxon
or Danish castle, the weight of evidence seems to be very much in
favour of the view that it was built very soon after the Norman
Conquest. It also seems probable that in the first instance it was
mainly composed of an artificially-heightened mound and other
earthworks, crowned, perhaps, by palisades. In due course, perhaps in
the time of Henry I, a shell-keep of masonry was built on the mound,
and its wall-footings were carried on massive piers of masonry, 8 feet
square, and sunk 15 feet into the earth so as to have the benefit of
the original hard surface. The other parts of the castle were built in
masonry at about the same time or perhaps within the next fifty years.
Southampton suffered much from repeated ravages of the Danes, and from
various other enemies at different times in the Middle Ages.
_Wareham._--The early earthwork defences of this ancient town still
exist on the east, north, and west sides. They consist of a rampart of
some size with ditch on the outside and another ditch of smaller
dimensions on the inside. In plan, the earthworks take a roughly
quadrangular form, except that there is no earthwork along the south
front facing the River Frome. A Norman castle, of which the mound
still remains, was formerly part of the protection of Wareham. It
stood within the south-western corner of the town.
_Bristol._--Bristol has been a considerable seaport from quite early
times, having been engaged in trading from about the year 1000. The
defences also date from an early period, as might be imagined where
great wealth and interests were at stake. The date of the first castle
is unknown, but it is said to have been rebuilt in the reign of King
Stephen, and in it he himself was imprisoned for nine years. It seems
probable that the earlier castle was one of the regular Norman
defences mainly of earthwork, whilst that subsequently built was a
masonry castle erected to take the place of or to strengthen the
earthworks. The keep was square and built very strong and massive.
The castle was situated on the eastern side of the town, and on ground
rising considerably above the level of the river. The town-wall,
commencing near the west corner of the castle, partially enclosed the
town, following the main course of the River Frome, and then taking an
almost right-angle turn to the north-east as far as the bank of the
River Avon.
Of the numerous castles and walled towns of Wales it is not, perhaps,
necessary to speak in these pages, because it is obvious that their
function was not so much to defend the coast against foreign invaders
as to establish the power of the English, and to assist in the
complete conquest of Wales.
_Lancaster._--An interesting and important Norman castle[22] was built
partly without and partly within the southern angle of the Roman
castrum which was built here long before. The keep is of fairly early
Norman workmanship. The whole work is perhaps somewhat remote from the
coast--a little over four miles, in fact--but being situated on the
River Lune, it may well have taken its share in coast defence.
_Liverpool._--The castle here is believed to have been built in the
year 1089 by Roger de Poictiers. During the Civil Wars in the time of
Charles I it was dismantled, and its ruined walls were finally pulled
down about the year 1725. One or two forts for the protection of
Liverpool have been subsequently built on the north shore, but they
have been demolished to make way for new buildings connected with the
gigantic shipping trade done here.
_Carlisle._--The defences of Carlisle are said to date from Roman
times. The present castle is well situated on the highest point of
ground within the city, about 60 feet above the river. Its walls
enclose a roughly triangular space of an extent of about three acres.
The keep, rectangular in plan, measures 66 feet by 60 feet and is at
present 68 feet in height. It rose to a greater height originally. As
one would infer from the dimensions of the keep, it is of Norman
workmanship, but it has received a good many strengthening additions
in comparatively recent times. The keep is situated in the inner ward
which occupies the eastern end of the castle enclosure. It is
approached by means of two gatehouses, one near the middle of the
southern wall, leading into the outer ward, and the other about the
middle of the wall which separates the outer and inner ward. The south
wall of the castle is of Norman date: the other walls are of both
Norman and Edwardian construction. The castle (doubtless as a fortress
comprising mostly earthworks and palisading), is attributed to William
II. The work was doubtless continued (probably in masonry), by Henry
I, and completed in 1135 by David, King of Scotland, who also
heightened the city walls.
Carlisle was, perhaps, only in a very minor sense of any importance as
one of the coast defences of England. Its castle, its walls, and
other defences were doubtless intended, primarily, to keep the
Scottish border raiders in check, and to serve as a military base
against Scotland.
The general principle of defending the coast by means of strong
castles erected near the shore was in due course extended in
accordance with local requirements. Thus, Tynemouth Priory, situated
on the coast of Northumberland, was provided as we have seen, with a
gatehouse closely resembling in form and massive strength the
gatehouse of a mediaeval castle. It is certain that its builders
contemplated and provided for military defence.
Houses of great personages, and of wealthy institutions such as
monastic houses were also built on a defensive or semi-defensive
scale.