In the Winchester volume of the “Journal of the Archæological Institute” is a paper by Mr. Hartshorne upon Porchester, which gives some curious particulars as to its government and repairs. From these it appears that in 1220 the roof of the keep was out of order, as the constable has four carratas of lead for its covering. This shows that the roof then upon it was the flat one indicated by the weather moulding. Henry III., who obtained in his second, third, and fourteenth years upwards of £10 for tallages from the town or manor of Porchester, suffered the castle to fall into decay, and the return of a survey ordered by Edward I. in 1274 states that the buildings within the castle are old, out of repair, and unfit for habitation. A second report was made twenty years later, after a visit from Edward in person, and repairs were at once ordered, which were very extensive, and were continued through much of the reign of Edward II. Mr. Hartshorne gives an analysis of an account of the clerk of the works here in 1321.
After the receipts, which in this year were £55. 0s. 0½d., the particulars of the expenditure are given in detail. First, the cost of the materials, then the wages of the people employed, the foundation-diggers or “fundatores,” the masons or “cementarii,” at 4d. a day; their labourers or “servientes”; the collectors of stones, “colligentes lapidum,” most of which were picked up on the beach, at 6d. a day; throwers of sand, “jactantes zabulonis,” at 2d.; carpenters, “carpentarii”; sawyers, “sarratores,” at 4d.; fallers, “prostratores”; bark peelers or “scapulatores,” at 3½d.; tilers, “latamores”; plumbers, “plumbatores”; smiths, “fabri”; labourers, “laboratores,” &c. A new lock and key for the east gate cost 4d. William Giles, the tyler, had 4d. a day, and Robert, his boy, 3d., while covering the chamber of Edward II. Two large hawsers, for lifting timber and stone to the top of the tower, cost 43s. 8d.; thirty-two weldichboarde boards were purchased at Havante for 4d. each. Thomas le Piper supplied 157 stones at 10s., and their carriage from the Isle of Wight cost 6d. They were employed for the foundation of the bridge under the castle: probably that in front of the west gate. Peter de Pulford, as clerk and overlooker, had 12d. a day. These works would be all in the Decorated style, varying in detail as the style advanced. The work at the top of the keep was probably the present parapet.
About 12 Edward III. the repairs were resumed. The Queen’s and Knighton’s chambers were repaired. A “fausse wall” was ordered to be built, and a barbican with a brétasche and barriers: works evidently of timber, and probably in advance of the west gate.
Richard II. resumed the works, and about 1396–7, just as the Decorated style was passing into the Perpendicular, seems to have pushed them forward with great activity. Mr. Hartshorne points out that the castle was supplied with stone from Bonchurch and South-Wick, with freestone from Bereston for doors, windows, and fireplaces; and with flint-stone and “rag-platen-stone” from Binnerbeg, also in the island. Besides these were wainscot boards, Botineholt boards, for doors and windows, hearth tiles or “hurthtighel,” Flemish tiles from Billingsgate, and “reretighel” or fire-bricks, for the backs of fireplaces. This accounts for the early Perpendicular work found all over the castle. Probably that in the Tudor style was executed in the reign of Elizabeth, who seems to have given her name to the kitchen tower, probably in consequence of alterations made in it.
The works in modern brick were executed during the present and past centuries, when the Crown held the castle on lease, and fitted it up as a prison; building barracks, now removed, in the great court. As early as 1761 there were Spanish and French prisoners of war here; in that year, it is said, 4,000. The Dutch prisoners taken at Camperdown were stowed here, and many French taken in war. It is said that at one time as many as 8,000 were lodged here. The castle has long been the property of the Thistlethwayte family. A couple of hundred pounds judiciously laid out on the keep would close its breaches, restore the old doorways and stairs, and replace the floors at their proper level. Some such moderate outlay would also do much to improve the inner ward.
The history of Porchester is but scanty. Until comparatively modern times it was always in the hands of the Crown, and commanded by constables, whose names occur from time to time in the public records. King John, the most restless of monarchs, was here eighteen times between 1200 and 1214, in all for fifty-two days. Much mention is made of wine stored here; at one time there were thirty tuns. In 1205 the king sent an engineer and sixteen miners to stay here for twenty days, and the constable was to find twenty picked men to aid them. Also Stephen English, an artificer, was sent. This might be to dig the well in the inner ward; the keep well must have been dug when or before the keep was founded. Sheep are sent for the garrison, sixty at a time, and petraria and mangonels, and other military stores. The tenants who held by castle guard were warned. To the castle was attached a large demesne, and a forest, under the charge of the constable, the income from which was considerable.
Edward I. seems to have been here two or three times, and Edward II. more frequently, staying here for several days in 1324–5–6. Edward III. mustered his army here before his French wars, and kept up a strong garrison and good supplies of wheat and barley, and wine.
RICHARD’S CASTLE, HEREFORDSHIRE.
THE site of Richard’s Castle, a well-known and very ancient fortress in the county of Hereford, but near to Ludlow and the borders of Shropshire, is distinguished by one of those remarkable works in earth which have hitherto, in topographical books, passed undescribed, or described only in such general terms as afford no aid to any sound inference as to the people or the period by whom or at which they were thrown up. And yet, if there were correct plans and precise descriptions of the earthworks of this country, it is probable that some sound general conclusions as to their origin would be arrived at. Many, probably most, are no doubt pre-historic, but still something of their history may, it is probable, be established by a careful consideration of the evidence which they themselves afford.