ANCIENT EARTHWORKS Edward II. It is not possible to say how much of the present dry moat belongs to the original castle. The situation is at an altitude of 613 ft., but assimilates to that of the church and village. The moat was entirely sunk from the natural surface of the land, and its sections have in recent years been moulded for the formation of the pleasure grounds. The River Blythe runs from north to south near to the house. CHARTLEY HOLME. CHARTLEY CASTLE stands on a wooded hill. Its earthworks consist of a mound and an inner and outer bailey separated by a fosse, the whole being surrounded by a double fosse. The main direction of the works is east and west, the mound being at the west end, which is brought to a slight angle. The length of the inner bailey is 83 yds., and the width 43 yds., partly inclosed by walls and bastions. The outer bailey is 66 yds. long by 60 yds. wide. To the west of the castle is the site of a moated manor house to be noticed hereafter ; and to the north of this is a very perfect quadrangular earthwork, 57 yds. by 31 yds. within the area, having fosse and vallum on the longer sides, and fosse only on the shorter. A brook skirts the work on the north. The altitude is 3 i 3 ft. DUDLEY : CASTLE HILL. This castle has in some respects the most com- manding position of any within the county. It is situated on a high wooded hill rising from a valley far below its site, and encompassed by earthworks of greater magnitude than all others, and facing to a broad open country with the town of Dudley at its back. It presents a great promontory stern and predominant. Within a central area a raised mound rises to a considerable height, affording a commanding position for the main part of the defensive works. As to the level of the site, section A B shows that in a horizontal length of 424^. there is a rise of 140 ft. At G H, with a length of 5 17 ft., the rise is 1 30 ft. ; and at I J, with a length of 376 ft., a rise of 119 ft. These figures show the precipitous character of the works. The intrenchments measure in some places from 50 ft. to 60 ft. in width, and some 15 ft. in depth. The natural hill must have required much labour to bring it into its present form. There are caverns be- neath the hill, such as are found in Derbyshire and else- where. Its nearest altitude on the Ordnance maps is 700 ft. NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME. All that remains of this castle is a fragment of a mutilated mound of earth much lowered from its origi- nal height and reduced in area, SITE OF CASTLE, NEWCASTLE UNDER LVME i 353 45 SECTIONS A.B.C.D. FEET 200 3OO SCALE 80= I " Heooe
