ANCIENT DEFENSIVE EARTHWORKS remains of a ditch, the latter altered and worn. A little brook, which falls into the river Arrow just below, runs close to the camp upon its eastern side, while the river itself almost washes the base of the western ramparts ; in former days therefore the stronghold would be well pro- tected on three of its sides by water and by marsh and swamp. The ancient Icknield Street passes only a few yards away from the entrench- ment on the north-east. Various writers have described these earthworks as Roman, 1 without producing adequate evidence in support of the statement ; as far as mere appearances go, the remains resemble the angular variety of camp de- scribed under Class B 11 ' KENILWORTH. There are here interesting remains of earthworks of diverse ages and descriptions. The stately castle is based upon an earlier mount and court fort, some of the earth foundations of which are still traceable. Earthworks of contemporary origin once aided in the defence of the great mediaeval stronghold of masonry ; these are of two kinds : firstly, the scientifically designed embankments which were constructed for the purpose of damming up the waters of the two streams and the ancient pool in order to form the great lakes and broad moats which once encircled the castle ; secondly, an elaborate system of ram- parts and ditches, which formed strong outworks for the protection of the dam of the upper lake, and also of the approaches to the entrance gate situated upon it. The spot where Kenilworth Castle stands was well chosen for de- fensive purposes ; it is a knoll of rock and gravel which forms a head- land just below the junction of two streams, viz. the Inchford brook on the south and one of its nameless tributaries on the west ; on the east side there is also a little valley running down to the first named brook, which probably contained water and swamp in earlier days ; the low lying ground at the junction of the two streams was originally an exten- sive pool, mention of which is made in the foundation charter to Kenil- worth Abbey which was drawn up early in the twelfth century. Upon this naturally strong site therefore some lord of the place in early days would seem to have constructed a mount and court fort of earth and timber. The extant traces of this have been carefully exam- ined by the late Mr. G. T. Clark, and are well described by him. 2 He considered that the original moated mound, which is not now distinctly to be identified, occupied either a spot close to John of Gaunt's Hall or, and more probably, the site of the present Norman keep now called Caesar's Tower ; both of these buildings are seen to be connected with ancient earthworks, and the keep still encloses within its area an arti- ficial mount, some 10 to 15 feet high, against which its walls are built. The inner ward of the castle apparently occupies the site of the principal courtyard of the early fort ; it is about i acres in extent ; its north- 1 Bloxam in B'ham. and Mid. Inst. Arch. Trans. (1875), PP- 3 1 . 3 8 > Burgess in ditto (1872) p. 87. 2 Clark's Mil. Archil, vol. ii. pp. 130-52. 379
