end notes-第4节

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then　turning　outward　again　in　the　form　of　a　dice…box；　so　that

the　defenders　on　the　top　might　the　better　protect　the　base。　　

It　is　formed　of　rough　stones；　selected　with　care；　and　laid　in

courses　or　circles；　with　much　compactness；　but　without　cement

of　any　kind。　　The　tower　has　never；　to　appearance；　had　roofing

of　any　sort；　a　fire　was　made　in　the　centre　of　the　space　which

it　encloses；　and　originally　the　building　was　probably　little　more

than　a　wall　drawn　as　a　sort　of　screen　around　the　great　council

fire　of　the　tribe。　　But；　although　the　means　or　ingenuity　of

the　builders　did　not　extend　so　far　as　to　provide　a　roof；　they　supplied

the　want　by　constructing　apartments　in　the　interior　of

the　walls　of　the　tower　itself。　　The　circumvallation　formed　a

double　enclosure；　the　inner　side　of　which　was；　in　fact；　two　feet

or　three　feet　distant　from　the　other；　and　connected　by　a　concentric

range　of　long　flat　stones；　thus　forming　a　series　of　concentric

rings　or　stories　of　various　heights；　rising　to　the　top　of　the　tower。　　

Each　of　these　stories　or　galleries　has　four　windows；　facing

directly　to　the　points　of　the　compass；　and　rising　of　course　regularly

above　each　other。　　These　four　perpendicular　ranges　of　windows

admitted　air；　and；　the　fire　being　kindled；　heat；　or　smoke　at

least；　to　each　of　the　galleries。　　The　access　from　gallery　to　gallery

is　equally　primitive。　A　path；　on　the　principle　of　an　inclined

plane；　turns　round　and　round　the　building　like　a　screw；　and　gives

access　to　the　different　stories；　intersecting　each　of　them　in　its

turn；　and　thus　gradually　rising　to　the　top　of　the　wall　of　the

tower。　　On　the　outside　there　are　no　windows　；　and　I　may　add；

that　an　enclosure　of　a　square；　or　sometimes　a　round　form；　gave

the　inhabitants　of　the　Burgh　an　opportunity　to　secure　any

sheep　or　cattle　which　they　might　possess。



Such　is　the　general　architecture　of　that　very　early　period

when　the　Northmen　swept　the　seas；　and　brought　to　their

rude　houses；　such　as　I　have　described　them；　the　plunder　of

polished　nations。　　In　Zetland　there　are　several　scores　of　these

Burghs；　occupying　in　every　case；　capes；　headlands；　islets；　and　similar

places　of　advantage　singularly　well　chosen。　　I　remember

the　remains　of　one　upon　an　island　in　a　small　lake　near　Lerwick；

which　at　high　tide　communicates　with　the　sea；　the　access　to

which　is　very　ingenious；　by　means　of　a　causeway　or　dike；

about　three　or　four　inches　under　the　surface　of　the　water。　　This

causeway　makes　a　sharp　angle　in　its　approach　to　the　Burgh。　　

The　inhabitants；　doubtless；　were　well　acquainted　with　this；　but

strangers；　who　might　approach　in　a　hostile　manner；　and　were

ignorant　of　the　curve　of　the　causeway；　would　probably　plunge

into　the　lake；　which　is　six　or　seven　feet　in　depth　at　the　least。　　

This　must　have　been　the　device　of　some　Vauban　or　Cohorn　of

those　early　times。



The　style　of　these　buildings　evinces　that　the　architect　possessed

neither　the　art　of　using　lime　or　cement　of　any　kind；　nor

the　skill　to　throw　an　arch；　construct　a　roof；　or　erect　a　stair　；

and　yet；　with　all　this　ignorance；　showed　great　ingenuity　in　selecting

the　situation　of　Burghs；　and　regulating　the　access　to

them；　as　well　as　neatness　and　regularity　in　the　erection；　since

the　buildings　themselves　show　a　style　of　advance　in　the　arts

scarcely　consistent　with　the　ignorance　of　so　many　of　the　principal

branches　of　architectural　knowledge。



I　have　always　thought；　that　one　of　the　most　curious　and　valuable

objects　of　antiquaries　has　been　to　trace　the　progress　of

society；　by　the　efforts　made　in　early　ages　to　improve　the　rudeness

of　their　first　expedients；　until　they　either　approach　excellence；

or；　as　is　more　frequently　the　case；　are　supplied　by　new　and

fundamental　discoveries；　which　supersede　both　the　earlier　and

ruder　system；　and　the　improvements　which　have　been　ingrafted

upon　it。　　For　example；　if　we　conceive　the　recent　discovery

of　gas　to　be　so　much　improved　and　adapted　to　domestic　use；　as

to　supersede　all　other　modes　of　producing　domestic　light；　we

can　already　suppose；　some　centuries　afterwards；　the　heads　of　a

whole　Society　of　Antiquaries　half　turned　by　the　discovery　of　a

pair　of　patent　snuffers；　and　by　the　learned　theories　which　would

be　brought　forward　to　account　for　the　form　and　purpose　of　so

singular　an　implement。



Following　some　such　principle；　I　am　inclined　to　regard　the

singular　Castle　of　Coningsburgh…I　mean　the　Saxon　part　of　it…

as　a　step　in　advance　from　the　rude　architecture；　if　it　deserves

the　name；　which　must　have　been　common　to　the　Saxons　as　to

other　Northmen。　　The　builders　had　attained　the　art　of　using

cement；　and　of　roofing　a　building；…great　improvements　on　the

original　Burgh。　　But　in　the　round　keep；　a　shape　only　seen　in

the　most　ancient　castles…the　chambers　excavated　in　the　thickness

of　the　walls　and　buttresses…the　difficulty　by　which　access

is　gained　from　one　story　to　those　above　it；　Coningsburgh　still

retains　the　simplicity　of　its　origin；　and　shows　by　what　slow

degrees　man　proceeded　from　occupying　such　rude　and　inconvenient

lodgings；　as　were　afforded　by　the　galleries　of　the　Castle

of　Mousa；　to　the　more　splendid　accommodations　of　the　Norman

castles；　with　all　their　stern　and　Gothic　graces。



I　am　ignorant　if　these　remarks　are　new；　or　if　they　will　be

confirmed　by　closer　examination　；　but　I　think；　that；　on　a　hasty

observation；　Coningsburgh　offers　means　of　curious　study　to

those　who　may　wish　to　trace　the　history　of　architecture　back

to　the　times　preceding　the　Norman　Conquest。



It　would　be　highly　desirable　that　a　cork　model　should　be

taken　of　the　Castle　of　Mousa；　as　it　cannot　be　well　understood　by

a　plan。



The　Castle　of　Coningsburgh　is　thus　described：…



‘‘The　castle　is　large；　the　outer　walls　standing　on　a　pleasant

ascent　from　the　river；　but　much　overtopt　by　a　high　hill；　on

which　the　town　stands；　situated　at　the　head　of　a　rich　and　magnificent

vale；　formed　by　an　amphitheatre　of　woody　hills；　in

which　flows　the　gentle　Don。　　Near　the　castle　is　a　barrow；　said

to　be　Hengist's　tomb。　　The　entrance　is　flanked　to　the　left　by　a

round　tower；　with　a　sloping　base；　and　there　are　several　similar

in　the　outer　wall　the　entrance　has　piers　of　a　gate；　and　on　the

east　side　the　ditch　and　bank　are　double　and　very　steep。　　On　the

top　of　the　churchyard　wall　is　a　tombstone；　on　which　are　cut　in

high　relief；　two　ravens；　or　such…like　birds。　　On　the　south　side　of

the　churchyard　lies　an　ancient　stone；　ridged　like　a　coffin；　on

which　is　carved　a　man　on　horseback；　and　another　man　with　a

shield　encountering　a　vast　winged　serpent；　and　a　man　bearing　a

shield　behind　him。　　It　was　probably　one　of　the　rude　crosses　not

uncommon　in　churchyards　in　this　county。　　See　it　engraved　on

the　plate　of　crosses　for　this　volume；　plate　14。　fig。　1。　The　name

of　Coningsburgh；　by　which　this　castle　goes　in　the　old　editions

of　the　Britannia；　would　lead　one　to　suppose　it　the　residence　of

the　Saxon　kings。　　It　afterwards　belonged　to　King　Harold。　　The

Conqueror　bestowed　it　on　William　de　Warren；　with　all　its　privileges

and　jurisdiction；　which　are　said　to　have　extended　over　twenty…eight

towns。　At　the　corner　of　the　area；　which　is　of　an　irregular

form；　stands　the　great　tower；　or　keep；　placed　on　a　small

hill　of　its　own　dimensions；　on　which　lies　six　vast　projecting　buttresses；

ascending　in　a　steep　direction　to　prop　and　support　the

building；　and　continued　upwards　up　the　side　as　turrets。　　The

tower　within　forms　a　complete　circle；　twenty…one　feet　in　diameter；

the　walls　fourteen　feet　thick。　　The　ascent　into　the　tower

is　by　an　exceeding　deep　flight　of　steep　steps；　four　feet　and　a　half

wide；　on　the　south　side　leading　to　a　low　doorway；　over　which　is

a　circular　arch　crossed　by　a　great　transom　stone。　　Within　this

door　is　the　staircase　which　ascends　straight　through　the　thickness

of　the　wall；　not　communicating　with　the　room　on　the　first

floor；　in　whose　centre　is　the　opening　to　the　dungeon。　　Neither

of　these　lower　rooms　is　lighted　except　from　a　hole　in　the　floor　of

the　third　story；　the　room　in　which；　as　well　as　in　that　above　it；

is　finished　with　compact　smooth　stonework；　both　having　chimney…pieces；

with　an　arch　resting　on　triple　clustered　pillars。　　In

the　third　story；　or　guard…chamber；　is　a　small　recess　with　a　loop…hole；

probably　a　bedchamber；　and　in　that　floor　above　a　niche　for

a　saint　or　holy…water　pot。　　Mr　King　imagines　　this　a　Saxon

castle　of　the　first　ages　of　the　Heptarchy。　　Mr　Watson　thus

describes　it。　　From　the　first　floor　to　the　second　story；　（third

from　the　ground；）　is　a　way　by　a　stair　in　the　wall　five　feet　wide。　　

The　next　staircase　is　approached　by　a　ladder；　and　ends　at　the

fourth　story　from　the　ground。　　Two　yards　from　the　door；　at

the　head　of　this　stair；　is　an　opening　nearly　east；　accessible　by

treading　on　the　ledge　of　the　wall；　which　diminishes　eight　inches

each　story　；　and　this　last　opening　leads　into　a　room　or　chapel

ten　feet　by　twelve；　and　fifteen　or　sixteen　high；　arched　with　free…stone；