More information : ST59227315 The Donjon Tower, built by Robert of Gloucester before 1147, was regarded as "the flower" of all the Keeps in England, and is described by William of Worcester as having been 110 feet from east to west by 95ft north to south, with a square tower in each corner. A well containing 13th and 14th century pottery was found on the site in 1879, and excavations in 1948 revealed the NE tower and corner of the Keep. (1-3)
Excavations in 1989 relocated the North wall of the keep although the North-West corner could not be located. The keep overlay the ditch of the preceding motte and bailey, and therefore replaced it. Built principally of Pennant sandstone, which conflicts with documentary accounts of Caen stone being used in its construction, but post excavation analysis of some dressed stone fragments found fine-grained limestone which may have come from Caen.
William of Worcester described the keep as having four corner towers and a highest or main tower being the `myghtest toure above all the iiii toures'. It is not clear whether this was an additional tower or whether one of the 4 towers was larger than the other 3. He also gave two measurements for the keep size, one set based on measurements supplied by the castle porter. This gave dimensions of 60 feet East to West by 45 feet North-south with walls 25 feet thick. This gives an external dimension of 110 feet by 95 feet. This measurement is in close accordance with Worcester's second measurement, presumably by Worcester himself, of 108 feet by 90 feet. Excavations showed that at foundation level the North wall measured 12.5m (41 feet) internally and either 29m or 33.5m (95 feet or 110 feet) externally. Ponsford's 1979 excavation located part of the East and West walls and he reported that there may have been a forebuilding alongside the East wall. The issue of the possible fifth tower is not resolved. It may have been separated from the keep altogether rather than a part of the keep. A structure built against the West wall may be evidence of an external tower.
The keep's demolition was ordered in 1655 and almost all of the dressed stone was removed. The degree of robbing reflected the property boundaries into which the land was subsequently divided, the greater surviving foundations being associated with the decision to leave the material in situ to provide substantial foundation for subsequent housing. (4) |