The Ancient Castles of England and Wales, Engr. by W. Woolnoth [And W. Tombleson]. [On Large Paper, CM 27, with Proof Plates]. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1825 Excerpt: ... $etensep Castle, SUSSEX. Pevensey Castle is seated on rising ground, eastward of the town of Pevensey, and insulated, as it were, by the surrounding levels. This fortress was either founded by the Romans, or constructed with materials used in some prior building by that people. The external walls approach to the circular form, and, with their towers, are pretty entire to the height of twenty or twenty-five feet. The Chief Entrance is on the west or land side, between two round towers, in which are several bands or layers of Roman brick; some single, others double, to the height of about twenty feet, and four or five feet asunder. The walls between the other towers to the north-west, present similar bands, separated by layers of a whiter coloured brick, or of stone hewn in that shape; and in the north-eastern tower are similar stones towards the bottom, arranged in the herringbone manner.' Several of the turrets on the east wall are of solid masonry. Within is a smaller court, moated on the north and west sides, and inclosed by walls and towers, partly Saxon and partly Nor- man; and within these thirty years, according to Mr. King, who has particularly described this Castle in the Munimenta Antiqua, there remained a small Saxon Keep. The entrance was by a draw-bridge, corresponding in situation with the gateway of the outer fort; and like that, placed nearer to the southern extremity than to the centre. The towers, which are six in number, are tolerably large. The entire area of this Castle contains more than seven acres. The outer walls were discovered about a century ago, to be built on piles; they were surrounded by an immense fosse. Pevensey Castle, in its original state, must have been of vast strength; since, in the year 1088, as the Saxon Chronicle rec..