It may be observed that the character of the surface of the country hereabouts is very favourable for the construction of these earthworks with mounds. There are scores of natural rounded hillocks of red sandstone that have an artificial aspect, and that, with a little scarping, would be strong. There is one, especially, close east of the road between Quatford and Dudmaston Park, that looks very like an English earthwork, and wants nothing but a ditch to make it perfect. Besides the earthworks above described are others in the district which appear to be of the same type. Such are Castle Hill, nine miles south-east from Bridgenorth, and the isolated knoll called “the Devil’s Spittle Dish,” two miles south-east of Bewdley.
BRONLLYS TOWER, BRECKNOCKSHIRE.
BRONLLYS TOWER, on the left bank of the Llyfni, a tributary of the Wye, is situate in the parish of the same name, close north of the town of Talgarth, on the regular and ancient way between Hereford and Brecknock.
The tower occupies the summit of a mound or knoll of earth, in great part artificial, which crowns the steep bank of the adjacent river; rising, perhaps, 60 feet above the stream, and 30 feet or so above the ground to the west of and behind the building. The mound is placed at the apex of an earthwork of rather a pear-shaped outline, of which the river-bank forms the steep east side, while to its base, or north face, has been applied a vallum nearly rectangular, and which may or may not be a Roman addition to a Celtic camp. The mound, which has borne the very considerable weight of the tower in safety, must be of considerably earlier date; and altogether the work resembles much one of those numerous instances in which advantage has been taken of an earlier mound to give elevation to a Norman or early English keep.
There are, however, it is said, remains of masonry, of the character and probable age of the tower, still standing upon a part of the vallum, and indications that, as is known to have been the case, the tower did not stand alone, but was within a base court. These walls are not now of any extent, and seem to be included within a modern house built upon the old enclosure.
This tower is at its base 37 feet in diameter, and batters inwards to 12 feet high, when it is girt by a bold cordon or string-course, much eroded, but apparently of a half-round section, with a water-groove on its under side. Above this the tower is cylindrical, and 34 feet diameter, or very nearly so, to the summit, which is at present about 60, and may have been 70 feet high. Besides the battering base there is a slight rough set-off, apparently part of the foundation, above ground on the southern face. Round the whole is a walk of about 18 inches broad, so that the mound is about 40 feet across at its top.
The tower is composed of a basement and three floors, above which was the battlement, now completely destroyed. The basement within was cylindrical, 18 feet diameter, with walls 9 feet 6 inches thick, and covered by a pointed vault, the ridge of which runs about north-east and south-west. This room was aired rather than lighted by a stepped recess, terminating in a small loop or hole at a considerable height, through which nothing could be seen. It was entered on the opposite or west side by a trap door in the first floor, which lifted within a window recess, and disclosed a flight of eight very steep stairs, 2 feet 7 inches broad, terminating in a doorway rather above 7 feet from the floor; below which, therefore, was probably a wooden ladder. The rebate shows the door to have opened inwards, and to have had bolts on its outer side. The floor is on the level of the top of the mound, and in its centre is a depression which may indicate a well.
Two openings have been broken into this chamber from the outside, on the east and west sides. Why nine feet of masonry should have been twice pierced, at immense labour, it is difficult to say; nor is there any trace of door or loop which might have made the task easier, or have suggested these openings. The broken walls do, however, show at the very base of the structure, on each side, a horizontal or nearly horizontal square drain, of very rough construction, in the substance of the wall. These holes have been the subject of much speculation. They were evidently drains from the upper floors of the tower, collected to fall into one outlet. Such drains may be seen in the heart of an overthrown solid tower at Corfe. It is not improbable that one of the breaches may have contained a recess or garderobe, which communicated with the drain, and suggested the penetration of the wall in that direction.
The first floor, of 17 feet 9 inches clear diameter, was entered by an exterior door in the wall, at the level of the cordon, or 12 feet above the ground, on the east side. There must have been exterior steps; but they did not bond into the wall, and may have been of wood. The door has 3 feet 3 inches opening, with a drop arch and plain chamfered moulding. It was defended by an interior door; but there was no portcullis or other defence. The door-recess is 4 feet broad, and has a drop arch.