end notes-第5章

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retains　the　simplicity　of　its　origin；　and　shows　by　what　slow

degrees　man　proceeded　from　occupying　such　rude　and　inconvenient

lodgings；　as　were　afforded　by　the　galleries　of　the　Castle

of　Mousa；　to　the　more　splendid　accommodations　of　the　Norman

castles；　with　all　their　stern　and　Gothic　graces。



I　am　ignorant　if　these　remarks　are　new；　or　if　they　will　be

confirmed　by　closer　examination　；　but　I　think；　that；　on　a　hasty

observation；　Coningsburgh　offers　means　of　curious　study　to

those　who　may　wish　to　trace　the　history　of　architecture　back

to　the　times　preceding　the　Norman　Conquest。



It　would　be　highly　desirable　that　a　cork　model　should　be

taken　of　the　Castle　of　Mousa；　as　it　cannot　be　well　understood　by

a　plan。



The　Castle　of　Coningsburgh　is　thus　described：…



‘‘The　castle　is　large；　the　outer　walls　standing　on　a　pleasant

ascent　from　the　river；　but　much　overtopt　by　a　high　hill；　on

which　the　town　stands；　situated　at　the　head　of　a　rich　and　magnificent

vale；　formed　by　an　amphitheatre　of　woody　hills；　in

which　flows　the　gentle　Don。　　Near　the　castle　is　a　barrow；　said

to　be　Hengist's　tomb。　　The　entrance　is　flanked　to　the　left　by　a

round　tower；　with　a　sloping　base；　and　there　are　several　similar

in　the　outer　wall　the　entrance　has　piers　of　a　gate；　and　on　the

east　side　the　ditch　and　bank　are　double　and　very　steep。　　On　the

top　of　the　churchyard　wall　is　a　tombstone；　on　which　are　cut　in

high　relief；　two　ravens；　or　such…like　birds。　　On　the　south　side　of

the　churchyard　lies　an　ancient　stone；　ridged　like　a　coffin；　on

which　is　carved　a　man　on　horseback；　and　another　man　with　a

shield　encountering　a　vast　winged　serpent；　and　a　man　bearing　a

shield　behind　him。　　It　was　probably　one　of　the　rude　crosses　not

uncommon　in　churchyards　in　this　county。　　See　it　engraved　on

the　plate　of　crosses　for　this　volume；　plate　14。　fig。　1。　The　name

of　Coningsburgh；　by　which　this　castle　goes　in　the　old　editions

of　the　Britannia；　would　lead　one　to　suppose　it　the　residence　of

the　Saxon　kings。　　It　afterwards　belonged　to　King　Harold。　　The

Conqueror　bestowed　it　on　William　de　Warren；　with　all　its　privileges

and　jurisdiction；　which　are　said　to　have　extended　over　twenty…eight

towns。　At　the　corner　of　the　area；　which　is　of　an　irregular

form；　stands　the　great　tower；　or　keep；　placed　on　a　small

hill　of　its　own　dimensions；　on　which　lies　six　vast　projecting　buttresses；

ascending　in　a　steep　direction　to　prop　and　support　the

building；　and　continued　upwards　up　the　side　as　turrets。　　The

tower　within　forms　a　complete　circle；　twenty…one　feet　in　diameter；

the　walls　fourteen　feet　thick。　　The　ascent　into　the　tower

is　by　an　exceeding　deep　flight　of　steep　steps；　four　feet　and　a　half

wide；　on　the　south　side　leading　to　a　low　doorway；　over　which　is

a　circular　arch　crossed　by　a　great　transom　stone。　　Within　this

door　is　the　staircase　which　ascends　straight　through　the　thickness

of　the　wall；　not　communicating　with　the　room　on　the　first

floor；　in　whose　centre　is　the　opening　to　the　dungeon。　　Neither

of　these　lower　rooms　is　lighted　except　from　a　hole　in　the　floor　of

the　third　story；　the　room　in　which；　as　well　as　in　that　above　it；

is　finished　with　compact　smooth　stonework；　both　having　chimney…pieces；

with　an　arch　resting　on　triple　clustered　pillars。　　In

the　third　story；　or　guard…chamber；　is　a　small　recess　with　a　loop…hole；

probably　a　bedchamber；　and　in　that　floor　above　a　niche　for

a　saint　or　holy…water　pot。　　Mr　King　imagines　　this　a　Saxon

castle　of　the　first　ages　of　the　Heptarchy。　　Mr　Watson　thus

describes　it。　　From　the　first　floor　to　the　second　story；　（third

from　the　ground；）　is　a　way　by　a　stair　in　the　wall　five　feet　wide。　　

The　next　staircase　is　approached　by　a　ladder；　and　ends　at　the

fourth　story　from　the　ground。　　Two　yards　from　the　door；　at

the　head　of　this　stair；　is　an　opening　nearly　east；　accessible　by

treading　on　the　ledge　of　the　wall；　which　diminishes　eight　inches

each　story　；　and　this　last　opening　leads　into　a　room　or　chapel

ten　feet　by　twelve；　and　fifteen　or　sixteen　high；　arched　with　free…stone；

and　supported　by　small　circular　columns　of　the　same；　the

capitals　and　arches　Saxon。　　It　has　an　east　window；　and　on　each

side　in　the　wall；　about　four　feet　from　the　ground；　a　stone　basin

with　a　hole　and　iron　pipe　to　convey　the　water　into　or　through

the　wall。　　This　chapel　is　one　of　the　buttresses；　but　no　sign　of　it

without；　for　even　the　window；　though　large　within；　is　only　a

long　narrow　loop…hole；　scarcely　to　be　seen　without。　　On　the　left

side　of　this　chapel　is　a　small　oratory；　eight　by　six　in　the　thickness

of　the　wall；　with　a　niche　in　the　wall；　and　enlightened　by　a

like　loop…hole。　　The　fourth　stair　from　the　ground；　ten　feet　west

from　the　chapel　door；　leads　to　the　top　of　the　tower　through　the

thickness　of　the　wall；　which　at　top　is　but　three　yards。　　Each

story　is　about　fifteen　feet　high；　so　that　the　tower　will　be　seventy…five

feet　from　the　ground。　　The　inside　forms　a　circle；　whose

diameter　may　be　about　twelve　　feet。　The　well　at　the　bottom　of

the　dungeon　is　piled　with　stones。''…Gough's　_Edition　Of　Camden's

Britannia_。　　Second　Edition；　vol。　iii。　p。　267。