the Danes, rendered such places of
retreat highly necessary, and the great Alfred earnestly recommended
their construction. Hence the places of defence found in this island at
the conquest, were few in number, and those generally too slight to
resist the continued attacks of time. For this reason the antiquary need
not endeavour to extend his researches after the state of the castle of
Leicester beyond the time of the arrival of William the Norman. On the
division of the provinces made by that monarch, Leicester became part of
the royal demesne; a castle was erected to ensure the submission of the
inhabitants, and the wardenship of it entrusted to Hugh Grentemaisnell
baron of Hinckly, who possessed considerable property in the
neighbourhood. This castle, like other Norman works of the same kind,
would have its barbican or out-work, defending the gate and bridge over
the outer ditch would be commanded by a strong wall, eight or ten feet
thick, and between twenty and thirty high, with a parapet, and crennels
at the top, towers at proper distances, and a gate-way opening into the
town. It would, we may presume, extend from the river below the Newark
round by St. Mary's church, and then, turning towards the river again,
whose waters were brought by a cut across the morass lying on the west
side, to wash that part of the wall, and fill the ditch, would thus
enclose what was called the outer Bayle or Ballium. Within this, at a
distance not now to be ascertained, but probably not less than eighty or
an hundred yards, another, similar, but perhaps stronger fortification,
would extend from, and to the river, and this entered at the gates
already described, would enclose the inner Bayle, where stood the lofty
massy keep, the hall, and all the apartments and rooms belonging to the
noble and potent owners. Although the curious will be inclined to join
in the pathetic laments of the writer of the memoirs of Leicester,
(Throsby) that the just position of the castle and its extent in former
times cannot be known; yet strong probability will almost authorize us to
believe that the account here given does not vary very widely from the
truth; for these conjectures are directly confirmed by the well still
open on the top of the castle hill or keep, and by the entire remains of
a large cellar, forty-nine feet long and eighteen wide, nearly adjoining
the great hall, on the west. That more traces should not be discoverable
will not ap