The bailey defences were identified as a series of post-holes enclosing the area. Levelling-up on the ditch side might represent footings for a palisade (as shown in the reconstruction) though no clear post-holes were identified. The eastern side may have been open (as shown in the reconstruction) with the defences forming a U-shaped bridgehead, or may have fully enclosed the area. A roadway led up from the medieval road to the north, through a gateway, and onto the bridge. The motte defences were more elaborate, with a stone-faced clay rampart topped by a timber palisade. Both sets of defences would presumably have had wall-walks but evidence for this was restricted to the northernmost section of the bailey palisade, and the section of palisade to the west of the 'tower' on the motte.
The reconstruction in Figure only shows one of a number of alternative arrangements. The motte defences (in the foreground) incorporate a wall-walk but no attempt has been made to represent the stone-facing on the rampart. The bailey defences include a section of possible palisade along the ditch side to the west of the bridge, but the eastern section of palisade is not shown in the reconstruction.
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Last updated: Thu Jun 15 2000