The gateway, which was constructed in the fourteenth century, was approached in ancient times by a drawbridge spanning the moat. It is on the inner side of this that the barbican stands, rising to the height of two stories above the archway and projecting from the wall. On either side are two octagonal turrets, freely loopholed for the purpose of defending the bridge and its approaches from attack. Within the drawbridge itself hangs the portcullis, and behind this in the ceiling are four holes through which blazing pitch, hot lead, or other equally unpleasant and destructive materials could be poured on the heads of assailants. In the rear of the portcullis itself stood the ancient and iron–strengthened doors. Even though the attacking party should have found its way through both portcullis and doors into the small court beyond, they would be still subject to a most murderous attack, and be almost entirely at the mercy of the defenders above; and even though surviving this they would still have to pass the gate–house, with a groined archway defended by a portcullis, loopholes, and doors like the barbican itself.
The gate–house is flanked by towers, from the summits of which the defenders could pour down a shower of missiles upon the attacking party still within the court. In the lower chamber of the south–east turret still exists the windlass which in ancient times worked the portcullis of the outer gate.
At the point where the road enters the inner court a fine view of the castle is obtained, with Æthelflæd’s mound or the keep, crowned with trees and shrubs, and crossed by the fortifications in which the northern tower stands, the dominating feature.
On the side of the fortifications, opposite the castle, stand the two impressive though never completed towers known as the Clarence and Bear Towers, connected by walls of great thickness and solidity. The first–named was probably commenced by George, Duke of Clarence, brother of Richard III., who, created Earl of Warwick by Edward IV., projected vast additions to the castle, which he did not live to carry out; and the second tower by Richard himself. Opposite these two towers, extending along the whole river front from Cæsar’s Tower to the Hill Tower, which stands at the base of Æthelflæd’s mound, is the family mansion, which, although altered and enlarged at various times since feudal days, is still a wonderful erection, almost entirely in keeping with the general aspect of the castle.
In 1770 the entrance porch and the adjoining dining–room, with the rooms over it in front of the great hall, were built by the then Earl of Warwick. The apartments, including the state bedroom and the boudoir and those adjoining the eastern end of the great hall, were in all probability the work of Sir Fulke Greville about 1605, who at the same time considerably altered several other parts of the castle.
The ancient fireplace and the dais were situated at the west end of the hall, and some traces of the former were discovered at the time of the fire, the chimney still being visible in the south–west angle. Two doorways, now blocked up, originally led to the kitchen and pantry.
The remaining most noticeable features of this, in many respects, unique hall are its large modern recessed windows and the fine oak panelling of the walls, which reaches to a height of about nine feet. The floor is of white and red marble, brought from the neighbourhood of Verona, and the remarkable carved stone mantelpiece was brought from Rome to replace the one destroyed in the fire.
One of the most interesting relics of bygone days amongst the many which are preserved in the castle is the garrison cooking–pot, a remarkably fine cauldron made of bell–metal, and capable of containing over a hundred gallons. This vessel is popularly known as “Guy’s porridge pot,” and was probably made for the retainers of Sir John Talbot of Swanington, who died about 1365, for there is an old couplet quoted by Nichols in his History of Leicestershire running as follows:—
There is nothing left of Talbot’s name,
But Talbot’s pot and Talbot’s Lane.