Page:Medieval Military Architecture in England (volume 1).djvu/203

 The Castle of Arques, near Dieppe, 187 just not too steep to be covered with short turf. The crest of the counterscarp is a ridge about 6 feet broad, and about 20 feet below the level of the foot of the wall. From it descends another slope, equally steep, but much deeper ; on the west side descending about 150 feet to the bottom of the valley, and on the east to a rather less depth, as here this "glacis " is succeeded by a sort of broad terrace of pasture land, which falls gently towards the river, the level of which may be 250 feet below the platform of the castle. In many respects these defences resemble those of Bramber, in Sussex. At the north-west end the ditch is traversed by a very modern cause- way of earth, which supersedes the earlier drawbridge. At the south end, where the ground is highest and the ditch about 50 feet deep and 80 feet broad, there remain tw^o engaged piers upon the scarp and counterscarp, and between them two detached piers, of which the outer has fallen against the inner. All are rectangular ; and the inner of the detached two is considerably the larger, and probably carried a tower for the protection and working of a double draw- bridge. These piers are of flint rubble, cased with ashlar, of which a small part only remains. At the outer end is the earthwork of a tete du pont, or ravelin, of triangular plan, the passage from which was a little to the east side of the apex. This work was evidently constructed when artillery was in use, and is attributed to Henry IV., during the campaign of 1589. It no doubt represents an earlier barbican, also of earth and timber. There are no traces of masonry beyond the bridge. This work opens upon the ridge of the promontory, which widens and rises somewhat higher to the south. The ground is scarred with banks and ditches, the remains of fieldworks of various dates, both of attack and defence. The design of this castle ditch is peculiar. The more obvious plan would have been to place the walls upon the edge .of the hill, and scarp its sides down to the valley with such steepness as suited the ground. Instead of this, the upper 40 feet of the hill, being chalk rock, was scarped vertically, and then faced or revetted by a wall, upon which was placed the encemte wall of the inner ward. At the foot of the revetment was then excavated the ditch just described, the material being thrown outwards so as to form an artificial scarp, which thus became a sort of advanced banquette or earthwork beyond the ditch, representing the crest of the glacis, and capable of being held by a line of soldiers, but which, when taken, was too exposed and too narrow to allow of its being held, or of cover being constructed upon it. This banquette was at a rather lower level than the foot of the opposite wall. Such an arrangement is found in other castles in Normandy, and notably, as pointed out by M. Deville, at Molineaux, De Longue- ville, Bee de Montagne, and in the later work of Chateau-Gaillard, where, however, it is less marked. The keep is rectangular, about 80 feet north and south by 70 feet east and west, and at present about 60 feet high. It stands in the