60 feet high, and from 60 to 100 feet diameter at the top. At Cambridge it stands without, at Cardiff within the walls, in some instances it forms part of their circuit. Within a radius of twenty leagues of Caen are sixty castles with these mounds.
They have not been carefully examined. That at Oxford contains a ribbed Norman chamber and well in its base, accessible by steps from the summit. At Wallingford, the well is in the side. These mounds were certainly thrown up by the builders of the castles, and could not have supported any heavy load; occasionally, they appear to have been crowned by a light shell of wall, circular or multangular[1], regularly embattled for defence, but not roofed over, or so roofed as to leave an open court in the centre. Part of that at Tamworth is a Norman tower, with a curtain wall, shewing herring-bone masonry. These buildings probably are founded as deep as the bottom of the mound.
The ditch was either wet or dry, according to circumstances; where the place is defended naturally, as at Castleton or Peak Castle, it is omitted.
The Early English period, rich in ecclesiastical, is poor in military structures. Walls and buttresses were added, but the ornaments of the style are rare. The middle wall of London was the work of Henry III., 1239; and one of the towers contains a groined Early English chamber. There are also Early English additions to the keep. The gateways of the inner bailey at Dover, with their portcullis, though Norman, bear some features of the Early English style.
Much of Cardiff is Early English, upon a Norman foundation, as are the additions to the keep of Chepstow. The chapel in Marten's tower, with its ball-flower moulding, and part of the wall, is late in this style. The ruins of Cambridge seem to be Early English, as are parts of the outer bailey of Dover. Some of the small castles erected in Glamorganshire, of Fitzhamon's sub-infeudatories, were in the Early English style, though for the most part on a Norman ground-plan. Ogmore is decided Norman. Sully, the ground-plan of which has been recently excavated, appears to have been upon a Nor-
- ↑ The shell or remains of it are seen at Château-Gaillard, built by Richard I., Oxford, Cardiff, Durham, Clifford's tower at York, Lincoln, Clave, Tamworth, Carisbrook.
