Page:VCH Suffolk 1.djvu/672

 A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK rises 20 ft. in height, but is mutilated by an excavation through the top. It was formerly surrounded by a fosse, the greater part of which has either been filled in or destroyed by digging for gravel ; it is most in evidence on the north, where the counterscarp is 4 ft. 9 in. HuNSTON (xxxiv, 16). — South-east of the village, 8^ miles north-east-by- east from Bury St. Edmunds, is a small mount surrounded by a fosse. The form of the mount has been destroyed by an indiscreet attempt at exploration, and the fosse now contains water. Offton (Ixv, 15). — Site of OfFton Castle, 4 miles south from Needham Market. A square area with an abrupt escarpment 1 4 ft. above the water, is surrounded by a moat 35 ft. in breadth ; to the east of the entrance on the north the moat narrows to 28 ft., apparently by the subsidence and conse- quent spreading of the mount at this point. The counterscarp of the moat is 6 ft. On the south side of the exterior of the moat are evidences of another embanked field inclosure. These works are situated on high ground which rapidly declines on the north and east, allowing of extensive observation of the surrounding country. It has the appearance of an early befossed mount adapted to later mediaeval defence. Orford (Ixix, 14). — Orford Castle, at the west end of the town, 9 miles east from Woodbridge, occupies a commanding position on the sea coast, on the western bank of the River Ore, protecting the adjacent harbour — now choked and useless — which provided a haven for Fle- mish mariners when the families of Glanville and Valoines successively held this stronghold. The mount, retaining the poly- // gonal keep, is very irregular '^ // in outline, and was sur- 'v^ / rounded by a double fosse, which sand digging and other encroachments have more or less destroyed, and whatever outer works may p. ,^„..,, -, ^, have defended a bailey are SCALE or FBET "°^ beyond recognition, O 100 aoo 300 ^^^ no plan of a base-court Orfcrd Castu part of the escarpment of the mount is on the west, where it is 34 ft. with a counterscarp of 23 ft., the fosse at this point is 15 ft. wide at the base and 70 ft. wide from edge to edge. The entrance is on the south, where a causeway, of which some supporting masonry remains, curves between one end of the fosse abutting upon the concave termination of the other end, by which the approach to the keep was completely covered. A causeway crosses the fosse on the north, and in the north-western depths of 592
 * ' can be traced. The steepest