DUNSTER CASTLE.
Wyman & Sons, Gᵗ. Queen Sᵗ. London.
- Tor and Keep.
- Lower Ward and House.
- Ancient Entrance and Later Gatehouse.
- Approach from the Town and Priory.
- The Park.
The fancy cloths once known as “Dunsters” have long ceased to be fabricated, and of the fulling mills the ruins have well-nigh perished. The haven at which these manufactures found shipping is also silted up, and the privileges conceded to the townspeople, being now shared by the community at large, are no longer commemorated, and are known only because the charters granting them have been preserved. Of the neighbouring hills, “Gallocks” is thought to be so called because there the high judicial powers of the lords were exercised in the view of all men, and “Grabhurst,” the castle ridge, is said to be named from an entrenched wood, though this use of the word “graff” is unknown or unusual in English nomenclature, and “Hirst” or “Hurst” belongs rather to Sussex and Kent than to Somerset. The fact is that the hill in old deeds is spelt “Grobefast,” and is at this time colloquially “Grabbist.” Near it is a lofty detached hill known as “Conygaer,” crowned by a tower of the last century. At present it is thickly planted, but no camp has been discovered there, such as the name might indicate. The castle mill remains. It is placed on the verge of the park, upon the stream, and concealed and protected by the castle.
The castle is composed of two parts, due to the natural disposition of the ground; these are the tor or keep, and the lower ward. The tor is in form oval, and its summit, naturally flat, has been further levelled by art, as the slopes also have been trimmed, and rendered almost impracticable for direct ascent. The summit measures about 35 yards east and west, by 70 yards north and south. The keep, which stood here, has disappeared, and its existence, long a matter of tradition, may now be deduced from a sewer and some foundations in the south-west corner laid open a few years ago. The present surface was laid down as a bowling-green in the last century, and a summer-house constructed at the north-east corner, in which is a window in the Perpendicular style taken from some earlier structure.
The artificial scarping of the hill sides is confined to the upper 80 or 100 feet. At this level are two platforms or shelves, one, a small one, towards the south, the other much larger, also chiefly natural, towards the north, and which forms the lower ward. The lower ward is of a semilunar or semioval figure, the hollow side being formed and occupied by a portion of the skirts of the tor. It measures about 33 yards north and south by 126 yards east and west, and covers about half an acre of ground. The outer or convex edge, steep by nature, has been cut into a low cliff, supported by a retaining wall, which, with its flanking towers and superstructure of parapet, protected this ward. At the foot of this wall, part of which supports the present house, the slope recommences, and, though now terraced by roads and paths, formerly descended unbroken to the base of the hill.
The keep was probably either circular or polygonal, approached as at Lincoln by a direct flight of steps from the lower ward. Its gateway seems to have been defended by a portcullis, as one is mentioned in the records, which could not have been in the earlier gateway or the later gatehouse. The buildings and inhabited part of the old castle were in the lower ward or its north-eastern quarter, upon the enceinte or curtain wall, and on the site, generally, of the present house. The wall was strengthened and flanked by half-round towers, of which the lower part of several remain incorporated into the later building and connected with fragments of wall, now a part of the house, and betrayed by their excessive thickness. One of these walls has a core of the natural red sandstone rock, enclosed in masonry, but traceable by an occasional exudation of dampness. The gateway of this ward remains between two of these flanking towers. It is 9 feet broad, with plain chamfered jambs, and a low stiff drop arch. There was no portcullis, and probably no drawbridge, the only defence being a door composed of bars of oak, 4 inches square and 4 inches apart, forming a grating, planked vertically outside with inch-and-a-half oak plank. Upon each oak bar was laid a bar of iron, and the whole fabric was spiked together with iron fastenings, having diamond-shaped heads. The meeting line of the two valves was guarded by an iron bar. In the right valve, on entering, is a wicket-gate 3 feet 8 inches high by 2 feet 6 inches broad, fastened with a huge iron lock in a wooden shell. This very curious specimen of carpenter’s and smith’s work, though of later date than the gateway, is old, not unlike that of Chepstow Castle, and probably of the time of Henry VIII. or Elizabeth. The gateway itself belongs to those of Henry III. or his son. In the last century the gates were permanently closed, and behind them was built a wall backed with earth. The gateway has recently been restored as far as possible to its original condition, and now gives access by steps to the lower ward.
The mural towers flanking the gateway are parts of circles, 16 feet 6 inches external diameter, and the lower 12 feet are original. One contains a curious vaulted basement with the usual three loops, and in the rear a doorway which opened into the ward. The other, or eastern flanker, had a basement chamber until recently filled with earth, and had also three loops, of which two are still visible outside. This tower was connected with a building in its rear, the foundations of which are original, and now form a part of the offices. Also upon the retaining wall, but about 20 yards beyond, and to the south-west of the old gateway, is another similar flanking tower, of which the upper story remains, and a part of a doorway. This tower is open in the rear. The towers, curtain, and entrance gateway are, in substance, all of one date, and what ashlar remains is of good quality and well jointed. The superstructure has been renewed recently.
The approach to the castle was steep, as it still is, from the town up to the old gateway, to enter which the road made a sharp turn. Just below the gateway, upon this approach, has been built a gatehouse, which projects from and is connected with the curtain, being incorporated into the tower, flanking the old curtain on the west side. This structure, the great gatehouse, still remains perfect, and, though evidently intended more for ornament than defence, makes a most appropriate approach to the castle, and gives to the whole structure much of a mediæval and something of a military character. This building is rectangular, 63 feet broad by 23 feet deep, and about 45 feet high, sixty-two steps leading to its battlements. It is pierced by a passage 10 feet 6 inches broad, having a plain pointed waggon vault, and at each end a not very highly pointed arch, with good moulded jambs continued round the head. There are no lodge doors opening into the archway, and neither portcullis nor drawbridge. The fronts are plain, save that the exterior has two flanking buttresses, and over the entrance is a rectangular panel containing nine coats of arms in three rows—one, four, and four. The interior front is flanked by two half-hexagonal turrets, of which that at the outer end contains a well-stair, entered from the outside by a small four-centred doorway, and communicating with each floor, and with the battlements. The corresponding turret is built upon one of the old mural towers which flanked the gateway of the lower ward. It contains a small chamber, probably a garderobe, on each floor. Against the outer end of the building are two buttresses, a large and small one, probably added to support the wall which then stood upon a steep slope and showed signs of settlement. The gatehouse is of three stages. The basement has a chamber on each side of the main passage, entered, one by the well-stair, the other by an exterior door. That next the well-stair is 14 feet 6 inches by 9 feet 8 inches, and has a window to the front. That on the other side of the archway is 21 feet 6 inches by 16 feet 3 inches, and is entered from the outside by a small doorway, probably an insertion. Opening from this chamber are two closets, and a well-stair ascends to the two floors above.