ry structures of the same period, which
were mostly built upon one plan, their chief strength consisting in their
height and inaccessibility, originally included within its boundaries a
considerable space of ground; the outer ballium (bailey or court) having
an elevation of about one hundred feet above the level of the river; and
the inner, upon which stands the keep, raised by art about twenty feet
higher, with the soil of the inner ditch--still remain entire; originally
three ditches surrounded the castle, from their circular form betokening
great antiquity; the second and third have been long filled up and built
over, but are distinctly traceable to the eye of persevering enquiry.

The original entrance to the outer court was from Burgh Street, at the
end of which was the barbican, or passage leading to the first
draw-bridge and gate; the second was opposite, and intermediate between
it and the present bridge; a draw-bridge formerly occupied the site of
the present road-way across, at the end of which stood the gateway for
raising it with a strong tower above it, only removed within the last
century.

Two round towers at the upper end of the draw-bridge, whose foundations
still remain, constituted additional defences of the upper ballium.
Connected with the tower on the west side, were dungeons or vaults, until
recently in use for prisoners before their committal.

The keep, which occupies but a small portion of the original plan, is
about seventy feet high, and ninety-two feet long, by ninety-six broad.

The walls are composed of flint rubble, faced with Caen stone, intermixed
with a stone found in the neighbourhood.

The keep bore the same relation to the castle as the citadel to a
fortified town; it was the last retreat of the garrison, and contained
the apartments of the baron or commandant. Little of these is, however,
left us to explore; the outer wall with its ornamental arches being, as
we before hinted, nothing more than a shell surrounding an open yard, now
filled by detached modern buildings, occupying the site of the spacious
and magnificent chambers that once filled the interior.

Upon the surface of these walls, within are distinctly traceable the
original openings to the various compartments, now filled up by masonry;
but within the memory of some yet living, the dungeons and storehouses of
the basement story were standing, and were accessible by stair-cases in
the north-east and south-west angle