ANCIENT EARTHWORKS under consideration in this chapter ; he speaks of its ditch as ' very- deep and side almost perpendicular,' and tells us that the ' area within the ditches' is 8 acres, the castle standing on an eminence at the north- west of the enclosure. So extensive have been the alterations in modern days that there is little tangible evidence of earthwork defences, but from the position of the old keep in relation to the surroundings we may assume that in Norman days the work was such as we include in Class E. It is believed that a Roman castrum occupied the site, and many relics of the Roman period have been discovered ; it is also stated that the Danes sacked a Saxon stronghold here in 838 or 851 a.d., but these matters pertain to other sections of this History/ Dover Castle. — This castle was formed out of a natural hill some 300 ft. above the English Channel, which lies at its foot : the high land continues on the north, but at a slightly lower level. The position is naturally defended on the south by the chalk cliffs, which are practically perpendicular for about 200 ft., also by the fall of the hill east and west to a greater or less extent. The accompanying plan is the result of an attempt to show the entrenchments as they existed in Norman times. The entrenchments and masonry are not now in their original condition, great alterations having been made at the beginning of the nineteenth century in expectation of a French invasion, as also earHer and later. By the courteous permission of Colonel Owen, com- manding Dover Defences, the writer has made a careful examination of the earthworks as they stand, and with the help of two plans of the castle in the British Museum (King's Room) dated 1737 and 1756, and the Ordnance Survey published in 18 19, and his general knowledge of the usual method of construction of such castles, suggests that the work existed upon the lines shown. The shape, proportions and measurements must be regarded as approximate only. The earthworks thus formed : (i) The Mount on the south which occupies the highest portion of the hill, the summit of which was ramparted and strengthened with a wall of masonry ; the fall of the hill east, south and west was sharply scarped by the digging of a ditch, and lower down a second ditch was added to the defence ; upon this mount stands the ancient tower commonly called the Pharos and the Church. (2) The Bailey, itself rather a platform than the usual horseshoe courtyard, apparently had no rampart, but was defended with a curtain of masonry, and within this curtain stands the stone Keep erected about 11 50 a.d.; possibly the masonry took the place of timber. The bailey had its own ditch either complete all round or on most sides. (3) A Middle Ward, either the whole space shown between the two main enclosures, or what is more likely a much smaller space to the west of the section P-Q, the space shown ' The site of the stronghold is noteworthy. The prehistoric trackway long known as the Pilgrim Way passes within 50 yds. of the works, and they appear originally to have been sited, not in the best position for defence, but to command the trackway. 413
