Page:Medieval Military Architecture in England (volume 1).djvu/177

 Of the Edwardian or Concentric Castles. 161 of the castle, including the two sheets of water. The platform was divided near its centre by a lofty wall embattled on each face, and having a ditch along one of them. On this wall was a strong gatehouse having below a portcullised doorway, with a drawbridge connecting the two parts of the platform, and above, a smaller doorway, also protected by a bridge and portcullis, and guarding the way to the battlements of the outer wall. At one end of the platform was a postern connected with the stables, and at the other a cluster of towers on the outer bank of the lake, containing another postern. In the centre was the great exterior gatehouse, from the gateway of which a bridge dropped upon an enormous pier standing in the middle of the outer ditch, from the exterior face of which a second bridge dropped upon the village street. On the platform was a large corn-mill, and connected with it the dam and sluice by which the waters of the lake were retained and regulated, and which was very strongly fortified. Thus there were two great gates and two posterns at points of the castle distinct from each other, whence large bodies of cavalry could issue, so that the camp of a besieging force could be attacked from four directions, and, in case of failure, the castle could be reached by four entrances, besides two water-gates. In addition to these strategical arrangements, each tower and gatehouse had a portcullised entrance on the ground floor, and in the upper stories the lateral doorways opening on the battlements of the curtains were protected in a similar manner. In a military point of view, Caerphilly is a work of con- summate skill. Unfortunately for its historic fame, the settlement of Wales followed so closely upon its erection that it never attained to any great importance. Harlech is a concentric castle, probably designed by the architect of Caerphilly. Here also is an inner rectangular ward, with drum towers at the angles and the hall, and other buildings on two sides. This stands within an outer ward, also rectangular, with parapetted walls and bastions. The inner ward has a large single gatehouse, connected with a second and smaller one in the outer ward, from which a draw- bridge spanned a deep and broad ditch quarried in the rock. Harlech stands well, and occupies a bold headland of rock which formerly rose out of the sea, from which it is now separated by a broad tract of low land. Its great peculiarity is a covered staircase cut in the rock, defended seaward by a looped parapet, and closed above and below by small gate- houses. This was the water-gate of the fortress, and opened upon a small quay now occupied by the railway. Beaumaris, another of Edward's castles, deserves speciaj M