DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6912#0052
hedingham castle.
3/
turret to the ground. The height is divided into four stories or apartments, all of
which are different in design and arrangement. The walls in the ground-floor are
fourteen feet in thickness; and about twelve feet thick in the remainder, upwards.
These walls are not solid; for besides small apertures for windows, door-ways, and
fire-places, they contain small apartments, or closets. The walls consist of flints,
stones, and fluid mortar, or grout work, in the centre ; with a casing of regularly
squared stones for the exterior surface. The dungeon-story was lighted by eight
small loop-holes, which are about ten feet above the floor ; and the whole height is
fifteen feet. Its entrance was by descending stairs from the first story. In the
N". W. angle is a circular stair-case, which continues from the basement to the summit.
The entrance is on the western side, by an ascending flight of steps, to the first floor,
where is a large door-way, with columns on each side ; a semi-circular arch, orna-
mented with bold zigzag mouldings, and grooves for a portcullis. This floor con-
tains a fire-place, with a semi-circular back, also seven windows, and three loop-holes.
In its shape, windows, hollow spaces, or rooms in the wall, this story very nearly
resembles the next, a Plan of which is given in the accompanying impression from
a wood-cut: H.
Fig 1, the opening from the stairs at the N. W. angle : 2, the fire-place : 3, 3,
windows : 4, 4, windows, with recesses in the wall to the right and left: at 7, 7, these
are returned, and appear to have formed small chambers, with a loop-hole and door-
f. vol. iii.
3/
turret to the ground. The height is divided into four stories or apartments, all of
which are different in design and arrangement. The walls in the ground-floor are
fourteen feet in thickness; and about twelve feet thick in the remainder, upwards.
These walls are not solid; for besides small apertures for windows, door-ways, and
fire-places, they contain small apartments, or closets. The walls consist of flints,
stones, and fluid mortar, or grout work, in the centre ; with a casing of regularly
squared stones for the exterior surface. The dungeon-story was lighted by eight
small loop-holes, which are about ten feet above the floor ; and the whole height is
fifteen feet. Its entrance was by descending stairs from the first story. In the
N". W. angle is a circular stair-case, which continues from the basement to the summit.
The entrance is on the western side, by an ascending flight of steps, to the first floor,
where is a large door-way, with columns on each side ; a semi-circular arch, orna-
mented with bold zigzag mouldings, and grooves for a portcullis. This floor con-
tains a fire-place, with a semi-circular back, also seven windows, and three loop-holes.
In its shape, windows, hollow spaces, or rooms in the wall, this story very nearly
resembles the next, a Plan of which is given in the accompanying impression from
a wood-cut: H.
Fig 1, the opening from the stairs at the N. W. angle : 2, the fire-place : 3, 3,
windows : 4, 4, windows, with recesses in the wall to the right and left: at 7, 7, these
are returned, and appear to have formed small chambers, with a loop-hole and door-
f. vol. iii.