[245] The position of Appleby town and castle, within a great sweep of the Eden, is somewhat similar.
[246] Apartments, known as the Constable’s lodging, were on the first floor of the gatehouse: the portcullis probably descended through the thickness of the south wall of this floor, which was not pierced for a window.
[247] The common idea that molten lead was poured through these holes on the besiegers is a mere legend. This valuable material would hardly have been employed for this purpose. Powdered quick-lime, however, may have been used, with even more deadly effect.
[248] This applies, of course, to almost all vaulted towers which are cylindrical in plan, and not to gatehouse towers alone: e.g., the towers of the inner ward of Coucy. But, even where there is no vaulting, the interior plan of cylindrical towers is sometimes polygonal—e.g., in the western angle-towers at Harlech, on all floors as well as in the basement. In the eastern angle-towers of the same castle, the interior of the basements is cylindrical. Clark, ii. 73, describes these angle-towers inaccurately.
[249] The entrances to such guard-rooms, where great thickness was given to the outer wall, took the form of narrow elbow-shaped lobbies, which would be a source of difficulty and deception to an attacking force.
[250] The Black gate was built in 1247: the entrance was protected by an outer barbican in 1358.
[251] Holes in the masonry for the beam to which the pulley was fixed may be seen, e.g., in the gateways at Conway and Rhuddlan.
[252] At Sandal ([86]) there was a barbican guarding the entrance to a shell-keep.
[253] Conisbrough is virtually a castle of one ward set on an isolated hill, not unlike Restormel in Cornwall.
[254] The entrance may be compared to the more perfect plan of the barbican and platform at Conway ([254]).