of one of the Welsh conical mounds, called 'Tomens,' in the midst of an undoubted Roman camp, at Castell-Tomen-y-mûr, near Festiniog, North Wales.
But to proceed to the general character of the fortresses of Normandy, as common to those of England. Those of earliest date which were of small size, consisted of an enclosure of about half an acre, sometimes as much as an acre, which was surrounded by an exterior ditch and an agger within, sur- mounted by a vallum or palisade of stakes. Sometimes, where stone could be readily procured, a wall supplied the place of the palisade. At one end of the enclosure, sometimes in the centre, stood a high conical mound of earth, of from twenty to forty feet in elevation, called by the French antiquaries, la motte, and intended for the support of the donjon or keep. There is reason to suppose that this was originally of wood, as many of the mounds are not calculated to support a structure of stone, unless the foundations had been carried through to the natural level of the ground, which in later instances is, I understand, found to be the case. The donjon was sometimes square, sometimes round; when constructed of stone there is reason to think that the circular form was adopted chiefly at a later period. The castles of the twelfth century exhibited as their chief improvements, two ballia or courts instead of one; flanking towers along the exterior walls; a barbican or outwork in front of the main entrance, as at Old Sarum; and the revival of the portcullis. In other respects the plan remained the same, although the scale and execution was of a superior description[1].
I will now add a few observations from the examples of Norman architecture which I have examined in different parts of England.
Position of the motte and keep tower. There are two types of keep towers, of which Coningsburgh and Richmond may serve as specimens; the one round, the other square. Of these the circular keep often, perhaps generally, stands on a mound or motte, while the square form is, as far as I am aware, always without it. The keep is very frequently found in the side of the enclosure, or of the innermost court if there are two. The mottes of Longtown, Herefordshire, Laughton-en-le-Morthen, Yorkshire, and Carisbrook, Isle of Wight, (?) are
- ↑ For an interesting treatise on the Military Architecture of Normandy, see M. de Caumont's Histoire de l'Architecture au Moyen Age.
