CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden Old Castle

Transcription

1 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden Old Castle 10

2 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden Old Castle - Overview Fig. 1. Hawarden Castle and Park, in Flintshire, Five Miles from the City of Chester. "The Seat of Sir John Glynne Baronet," drawn by T. Badeslade, The view is from the south looking over the Dee estuary with Chester (far right) in the distance. The old main road from Chester to Conwy runs north-south below the bailey. (A sunken way often mistakenly identified as the moat). The house to the east within the C18 geometric gardens was demolished and replaced in the C18. Previous page: Hawarden Castle from the east. Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Hawarden Old Castle Hawarden has two mottes. One is Trueman s Hill (SJ ), but we visited the main old castle. This is a motte and bailey, the motte originally about 12m high, the earliest reference being to an attack in 1205 by the Welsh, which was unsuccessful. The castle is said to have been destroyed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1265, but by 1267 it was in English hands through the terms of the Treaty of Montgomery. It was attacked and burnt by Dafydd ap Llywelyn in March 1282, an event that sparked King Edward I s second Welsh war. Between 1277 and 1280 the lordship of Hawarden was in the hands of the Crown, but in January 1281 it was granted to Roger Clifford, and it is Clifford who is likely to have begun the construction of the great round tower on the motte. The entrance passage we see today, with its portcullis, may be an addition, but part of Clifford's work, possibly an addition after, and as a result of, the Welsh destruction in Bailey buildings, including a round tower and a hall, are still very evident, as is the remarkable and complex entrance arrangement which is crying out for a thorough analysis. The twostorey great tower of irregularly coursed dressed masonry is fully accessible, apart from the chapel. Taylor compared the octagonal main floor over a circular basement, mural chambers and mural passage with features to be seen at Caernarfon. There are also parallels with the great tower of neighbouring Flint. 11

3 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Grounds ABOVE: Fig. 2. Hawarden. Keep or Great Tower on the motte and view of the Inner Bailey from the north-east. The bridge spans the old Chester - Conwy road, now moved further east. BELOW: Fig. 3. Daniel King s vignette of Hawarden. c. 1640, possibly before any civil war intervention. The image is hard to reconcile with the current ruins, but there are certainly one or two major towers missing today that King may have correctly included. But the compass orientation remains a problem. Further Reading: G. T. Clarke, 1870, Hawarden Castle, Flintshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 27 pp (reprinted in Medieval Military Architecture). Hartshorne, C. H., 1858, De Montalto; with Notices and a Plan of Hawarden Castle, Flintshire The Archaeological Journal Vol. 15 pp E. W. Gladstone, Hawarden old castle. Privately published, J. A. A. Goodall,,The baronial castles of the Welsh conquest in D. Williams and J. R. Kenyon (eds.) The impact of the Edwardian castles in Wales, pp Oxbow Books. 12

4 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Clark plan Fig. 4. Hawarden Old Castle. Plan from G. T. Clark Key (according to Clark): A. The Keep, B. The Main Ward, C. Site of Hall, D. Offices, E. Entrance, below which is the Section, F. Area of the Barbican. Dark lines indicate original single-build period c Light diagonal hatching indicate later work perhaps 2nd half of the 15th century. Much of the very fine later ashlar stonework has been removed for later building works, which makes interpretation difficult, especially the long entrance and barbican passage, a surprisingly complex and impressive piece of engineering. Clark here relies on an earlier survey made by local architect James Harrison (in 1857) first published by C H Hartshorne in the Archaeological Journal of ('De Montalto; with Notices and a Plan of Hawarden Castle, Flintshire', Vol. 15 pp ), with some later amendments. 13

5 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Harrison plan Fig. 5. Hawarden. Plans of the two floors according to Harrison / Hartshorne, 1858, which records on plan the damage still evident. The later published plan by Clark has been amended to reflect restoration works that had been made up to The principal floor (E) is very similar to the first-floor plan of the Eagle Tower at Caernarfon (completed to this same level by 1284). At basement level the inner floor diameters are identical - 31 ft). One difference is that there is no chimney/flue at Hawarden. (See Caernarfon Castle & Town Walls, A. Taylor, 2004, Cadw, p. 28). The James Harrison floor plan (1857) & the pentagonal form of the castle The James Harrison plan shown above was published in the 1858 AJ - referred to in the previous page s caption (fig. 4). It was a snapshot of its then condition and reflects the gaping hole at the entrance fissured right up to the roof on the east side. The Civil War slighting had badly affected the entrance, portcullis chamber, stairwell, and adjacent wall. There was also another entrance broken into the wall at ground level, accessing the ground floor through what had been the porter s lodge (shown on the plan above (A), and fig. 10). Harrison also highlights a void in the gallery at first floor level to the left of the stairwell, and further missing sections of the inner wall supporting the gallery to the south and west. By the time that G T Clark visited Hawarden (1870), much restoration had seemingly been undertaken, and Clark has obviously amended the plan to reflect the new work. This includes the new section of the gallery to the south of the stairwell. Hence the original configuration can only be surmised, with only an assumption that there was a clockwise through route around the gallery as far as the chapel. Hartshorne comments that Hawarden s keeptower and bailey formed a pentagon (1858, p. 250). Whilst it does not appear to be of a precise geometric form, and the bailey may be set out purely by topographical necessity, it is, nonetheless interesting to note that at least two other local baronial castles had been, or were being built with similar forms: Ruthin and Holt (for which see later entries and plans in the summary). (Exact, regular pentagons [five sided polygons] have angles of 108º). Whilst deliberate geometrically planned pentagonal castles are quite unusual in England/Wales, there were a few built in the 13th century, some of which pre-date the group built in North Wales. These include, Castell Morgraig, near Caerphilly, c. 1260s; Beverstone Castle, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, c. 1240s; Bronylls Castle, mid C13; and Banbury, mid C13 and known from excavation (see Rodwell, K. A., 1976, Excavations on the Site of Banbury Castle, Oxoniensia Vol. 41, Ruthin and Holt have towers built on the angles, with an entrance usually midway along one face. The outer bailey at Conwy could also be construed as pentagonal, with a four-square inner bailey attached utilising one side - similar to Ruthin. Hawarden lacks the angle towers. 14

6 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - Antiquarian views ABOVE: Fig. 6. Hawarden Old Castle. The Buck bros. view in 1742 (detail). The Great Tower on the motte and Inner Bailey from the east. BELOW: Fig. 7. The approach to the keep from the east through the gardens of the New Castle (April 2015). The buttressed entrance to the keep rises up behind and above the remains of the large Chamber (or perhaps a Solar Tower) added to the Great Hall (left, out of picture) in the bailey. 15

7 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - Antiquarian views Fig. 8. Detail of Hawarden Old Castle drawn by Thomas Badeslade (active c ) engraved and published by W. H. Thoms. The print is dated 1741, commissioned by Sir John Glynne. Glynne ( ), 6th baronet, was a Welsh politician and landowner who represented Flintshire in Parliament from 1741 to 1747 and from In 1752, he built a new Hawarden Castle (later castellated) in the grounds of the ruined old castle. It is best known as the home of Victorian Prime Minister W. E. Gladstone, whose wife was Catherine Glynne. Badeslade was an accurate draughtsman and there is no reason to doubt the intentional accuracy of the print, including the house on top of the wall-walk with a gentlemen looking though his monocular. However, the perspective is a little curious. When the castle was slighted in the Civil War, it is believed a large mine destroyed much of the entrance, portcullis chamber above, porter s lodge, and stairs. (See also the view, next page) of the large fissure in the wall). G T Clark (1870) comments: It remained so [ruinous]until very recently when it was restored by Sir Stephen Glynne, the present owner (in 1870). The task was one of exceeding delicacy. Enough remained of each part to give a clue for its reproduction and thus the gateway [entrance], portcullis chamber, much of the well staircase, most of the chapel and part of the great mural gallery have been restored just as they must have been left by the original builder. At the same time, the stone employed and the mode of dressing it will always indicate to the skilled observer which parts of the work have been replaced. 16

8 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The keep ABOVE: Fig. 9. The Keep from the east today. The stone colorations above highlight areas of rebuilding, including most of the buttress that contains the entrance and portcullis chamber above and walling to the left up to the wall walk. BELOW: Fig. 10. Note un-repaired damage to the keep (1860s), with a massive fissure caused by a mine in the Civil War slighting of , left untouched until the late 19th century. The damage appears to have resulted in a new entrance broken through to the right (since patched). 17

9 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - Pennant s plan Fig. 11. Plate XI from Thomas Pennant s Tour in Wales (1783) Vol. II. (In Pennant s Directions to the Bookbinder, and List of the Plates he asks that Plate XI A plan of Hawarden Castle should be placed at p. 104 of Vol I. (1778)). The plan is by J(ohn) Calverley. The hatched areas indicate footings or missing structures, not date phasing. Note the missing section around the keep entrance. Included in the bailey, projecting from the east curtain is a solid base of a large square tower, possibly a solar or tower house linked to the Great Hall replacing any accommodation there may have been in the keep. The solar or tower house may have been built by Thomas, Lord Stanley, ( ) in the second half of the fifteenth century. The barbican leading to a mound is difficult to explain without further on-site investigation. 18

10 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 12. Hawarden - the west side of the keep with damaged, un-repaired walls. The variable-sized stone blocks are coursed but in a rather random, irregular fashion, with intermittent lapses. This and the shaped masonry is seen as something distinctive to Cheshire (see Goodall 2010, p 163). The two lights with moulded sandstone dressings are contained within the mural gallery. BELOW: Fig. 13. Remains of Great Hall (left) and Outer Bailey curtain (right) from the east. 19

11 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 14. The 5ft wide entrance porch. A rare example of a keep-tower with an integral (4 inch wide x 4 inch deep groove) portcullis. The square groove with its arching chase above rises up to a portcullis chamber on the first floor. Much has been rebuilt in this area, but this right-hand (north) groove appears partly original (not the lower courses), whilst the south groove (and the whole arch above the springer) is obviously modern. 20

12 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 15. The interior of the ground floor room and entrance porch. The pointed arch is obviously rebuilt. Along the interior lobby a shoulder-headed doorway leads to the porter s lodge. A question remains as to whether there was, originally, a shallow (18 inch) entrance buttress to the exterior with slightly protruding side wings or whether the entrance was flush with the curve of the tower. 21

13 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 16. Hawarden. View of the circular ground floor or basement of the keep, looking south, with entrance far left corner. Basement entrance lower LH corner. Walling shows the corbels (17 of 40) for a wall plate or joists. Three shouldered embrasures light the basement directly. The fourth embrasure lights the porter s lodge. The basement was clearly ceiled and probably used as a storeroom. The borrowed light arch on the first floor and the wall to its left is completely rebuilt, and/or may be an insertion. Note the double corbels to support the roof structure (cf. Eagle Tower). 22

14 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 17. Hawarden. Basement light on the 31ft diameter ground floor of the keep, looking south, with entrance left. One of three shouldered-arch embrasures (lacking chamfers) that light the basement directly. The shouldered arch has a simple, flat, unmoulded lintel and the roof is flagged (or flat-slabbed). The slit light to the exterior is approximately just above the base batter (about 6ft to the exterior). The keep wall is 15ft thick at the base - unusually thick. 23

15 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Figs Hawarden. The partly rebuilt stairwell. Top Right: Old (above - smooth on the reverse side) & new (rough-back) cut-slab treads. Bottom L & R. Caphouse at wall-walk level. The stair is notably wide. The upper cylinder wall corbelling supporting the cut-slab stair treads is unusual at this early date. They are specially shaped, moulded, stepped ovolos (see inset). The top staircase has been truncated and the caphouse may well have risen beyond the battlements at one time. 24

16 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 22. Hawarden. The 31ft diameter ground-floor flat-ceiled floor of the keep looking toward the pointed arch entrance. Above this is the entrance to the 31ft diameter main floor via the lobby (or portcullis chamber). This main floor is octagonal, in typical Edwardian fashion (circular ground floor with octagonal upper floors), with sandstone quoins on the obtuse angles. The inner door to the first floor room has a rebate and draw-bar for an inward opening door. Narrow chapel door to the left with cinquefoil cusped arch. There is no fireplace in either room. 25

17 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 23. Hawarden. Entrance from the first-floor principal chamber to the chapel, north-west of the entrance. The chapel is a mural chamber, 14 ft x 7ft and flat vaulted. The doorway here is only 2 ft wide by 7 ft high with a cinquefoiled head. The door opens inwards and could be barred from the interior. This is the only way in and with the keep floor missing it is now inaccessible. There are a series of upright joist holes above some remaining corbels, added to create a short cantilevered gallery that once gave access even without the complete floor in place. The jamb and arch to the right has been restored (1860s). See both the Clark and Hartshorne plans (they differ). 26

18 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Figs. 24 & 25. Two similar views of the principal floor showing main entrance (right), chapel entrance (centre) and wide arch into the mural gallery in line with an external loop to utilise borrowed light. This arch appears original. The other arch so placed (fig. 16) has been inserted or rebuilt and is not apparently shown on the Clark or Hartshorne plans (figs. 4 & 5). 27

19 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Keep Fig. 26. Hawarden. Roof and form of part of the mural gallery. The gallery, at the main chamber level and within the substance of the keep wall, continues parallel to and around the octagonal chamber from the stairwell, clockwise as far as the borrowed light chamber next to the chapel (fig. 24). It is 10 ft high, and 3 ft 9 in. wide with a flagged or slab roof resting on a double tier of corbels. It is similar to the Caernarfon archer s gallery. Clark comments that along the gallery were three large recesses, each opening to the field by a long loop, swallow tailed at each end. He notes: These recesses are not seen from the main chamber. (1870 p. 6). [See insert. Perhaps at the time when Clark visited the site, there were no interior through arches apart from the ones marked on the plan? If this was the case how was the upper room effectively lit?] 28

20 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Great Hall Fig. 27. Hawarden. Remains of the Great Hall from the east - the outer, lower bailey approach. It formed part of the curtain at its eastern end, and is strengthened at the south-east angle by a solid half-round buttress of indeterminate date, but probably later. At least two, perhaps three tall lancet-type windows pierced the wall (but see also figs ). The windows were, apparently, of one single light, trefoiled with sunk cusps. To its right (north) sat the (now ruinous) inserted solar tower which may have truncated the length of the hall when added. 29

21 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Great Hall ABOVE: Fig. 28. Hawarden. Remains of the Great Hall looking from the west - from inside the bailey. There was a low basement below the (first floor) hall, entered from the right (south). The hall was about 30 ft high from the timber floor to the upper series of plain chamfered corbels supporting the wall plate. (cf. Ludlow c. 1270s). Much patching in the basement masks original intentions. BELOW: Figs. 29, 30. Detail of one of the window embrasures, which probably had seats, and some odd changes to the basement. At this date (c s?) first floor halls were rare, especially vaulted - the basement wall patching might be concealing an earlier cross-vaulted basement. 30

22 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The Great Hall Figs. 31, 32. The Great Hall, from within the bailey looking east. A Romantic style print made by George Barret (the Elder) and published in 1773 by John Boydell, engraver in Cheapside, London. Trustees of the British Museum. Reproduced with thanks. The cusping of the window tracery, decorative edge bead mouldings on the interior and low pointed arches of the embrasures suggest a late 1270s-1280s (or later) date (cf Ludlow Great Hall & Solar). The detail in the drawing to the left of the windows is sufficient to indicate that this is portrayed by Barret as a substantial ornate fireplace, with pedestals, hood and flue, and its position therefore implies that there would have been one further window light to the north. But it is at odds with the visual/physical evidence shown in fig. 27. This section has been enlarged (left). At least one large basement arch suggests the possibility of a series of cross-vaults. Earlier images show that this may have been replaced by a series of corbels supporting a timber floor, perhaps in the late 15 th century or later when the solar tower was inserted. 31

23 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican Fig plan of the outworks or spur work (gatehouse and barbican) on the north-east side of Hawarden Castle. For scale see fig. 4. E: Outworks and drawbridge/postern. F: Barbican. The gateway / drawbridge / postern and barbican - a pyrgological enigma Referring to these enigmatic buildings, Hartshorne (1858, 251) comments that: they are of a character so unusual that it has proved impracticable satisfactorily to ascertain their intention. It was during a visit to these remains when the Archaeological Institute met at Chester, that the opportunity was afforded of hearing various conjectures that were made by some of the members as to the use of these curious buildings. It was discussed on the spot whether they were sewers, garderobes, cisterns or places of confinement; and the evidence of each was negatively balanced; so that, in fact, even antiquarian speculation left the question unsolved and this pyrgological [study of towers] enigma still continues a perplexity to exercise the ingenuity of future inquirers. In fact, and quite remarkably, this writer offered and heard many similar ideas that were postulated when on site. Perhaps G T Clark would rise to this challenge. He does. His 1870 paper gives a detailed description of these outworks and he offers a solution. (pp ) (figs ). But in fact, Hartshorne footnotes the explanation that was offered by Harrison, the architect charged with repairing and restoring the keep. He noted that the buildings may have formed a postern gate of great security against surprise. The wide pit-fall in the middle of the work appears to have been traversed by a draw-bridge, and it was provided with the means for filling it with water. The termination of the buildings towards the outer works with a flight of steps might have formed, as he supposed, the basement of a turret, communicating with some of the works which may have occupied the mound beyond towards the north-east [see fig. 11]. No traces, however of any superstructure are to be found nor any appearance of the continuation of the steps or passage which terminates in a singular dove-tailed shaped 32

24 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican Fig. 34. The junction of the high-sided barbican-type spur work that adjoins with the curtain s (missing) gatehouse on the north side, going down the slope to the dual carriage and (underneath) foot drawbridge and pit. Note the small postern gate in the corner. landing, the wall at the extremity being perfect to the height of 6 ft 4 in. from the floor of the landing place, as shown in the section. Harrison also observed that he thought the postern appeared to be precisely the same date as the keep, and one of the doorways still exists with the shouldered head, similar to those seen in that part of he building as before described. Clark calls all this not (just) a postern but the principal gatehouse/entrance, a spur work, the walls being 40 ft wide by 68 ft long and 24 ft high until it turns inwards (E on the plan). This then proceeds a further 14ft at 27ft apart, containing the gates and pit of the drawbridge, beyond which they narrow again to 21ft wide and proceed another 14ft when the walls abut upon the counterscarp of the ditch. Clark continues with this description and speculates how all this made extreme difficulties for any attackers, suggesting that there may have been two drawbridges working in tandem for the concealed foot passages and at least one for wheeled traffic above. For an explanation of how this complex arrangement might have worked readers should consult Clark, (1870, 10-12). Unlike Harrison, Clark recognised that a number of works were not contemporary with the keep, but of a later date: These were: 1) the range of storehouses in the main ward (B, fig. 4), 2) the offices or chambers (or solar tower) projecting east of the curtain wall adjacent to the Great Hall (D, fig. 4), and 3) the buildings [gatehouse, postern and barbican] at the foot of the entrance (E, F, fig. 4). These groups of buildings are all similar in general design, material and workmanship. The material is a greenish sandstone, the workmanship ashlar, of the most expensive kind, dressed on every face and laid in thin joints with little mortar. He noted that the excellence has proved fatal to the structure - for as the stones needed only to be lifted from their beds and laid, without any adaptation, into any new work, the temptation has proved too strong, and most of the later work has been carefully removed by hand, and not, like the older work, overthrown by gunpowder. In fact the lower walls that remain have much more the appearance of an unfinished rather than a partially destroyed building. Whilst Clark puts no date on these works, this writer speculatively offers a date for (3) as the first quarter of the 14th century. 33

25 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican Fig. 35. Drawbridge / pit / complex concealed postern arrangement looking toward the field. Nearest drawbridge section late 13th /early 14th century? 34

26 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican ABOVE: Fig. 36. The Spur work/ drawbridge / pit from the north-east. Presumably the ditch either side has been subsequently filled. Much of the masonry has been robbed. The high-walled spur work attached to the curtain looks earlier than the masonry of the outer drawbridge / postern arrangement. RIGHT: Fig. 37. The ditch/pit and various intermediate postern gates looking south, back to the curtain wall of the castle with the one remaining spur wall top left. The later stones are ashlared on all sides and all doors have the signature (anachronistic?) shouldered arches in imitation of those found in the keep, although the mouldings are slightly different (deeper / wider chamfers & shaped lintel chamfers). 35

27 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican Figs Various views of the doors and entrances along and to the sides of the once covered postern foot passages below the main carriage track, on the far side of the pit. 36

28 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April Hawarden - The drawbridge & barbican Figs Various views of the pit with its perfect close-jointed ashlar bevelled or steeply sloping sides, and, top right, the wide-chamfered jambs to the doors, usually with two drawbars. 37

29 CSG Annual Conference - Wrexham - April New Hawarden Castle Fig. 45. The New Hawarden Castle, home to the Gladstone family; garden leading up to the old castle. Hawarden Old Castle - Summary The castle appears to present four main building sequences: 1) The 11/12th century work - earthworks, motte and main bailey timber defences. 2). The Great Hall built c s? - with dating mainly based on architectural features (fuller analysis on request); the circular Edwardian-influenced (Flint /Caernarfon etc) keep on the motte top; the bailey curtain from the keep joining up with pre-existing hall forming part of the eastern curtain; the immediate spur work - c or later. 3). Arguably, the buildings (drawbridge, postern and barbican etc) beyond the spur work - first quarter 14th century, say by ). Late 15th century (c and later) works when in the ownership of the Stanleys. These include the range of storehouses in the main ward, and the offices (or solar tower) projecting east of the curtain wall adjacent to the Great Hall. For details of the suggested Stanley era dating see Pettifer, 2000, 75-76, Salter, 1997, See also Emery, Greater Medieval Houses, Vol. II, pp Some further analysis is needed: There are a number unresolved issues of which those listed below are just a few: The water supply and how water was channelled or delivered to the castle (see this section in the Gladstone, 2003, pamphlet guide). The date & form of the barbican and how the spur/drawbridge/postern/barbican arrangement might be related to a secure supply of water. The function of the first-floor chamber in the keep. Called by Clark a stateroom, but there is no fireplace, and the gallery does not seem to accommodate adequately sized bedchambers, or offer any degrees of privacy. The precise dating of the Great Hall. First-floor halls built at this date were extremely rare, but not unknown (Ludlow, Wigmore, Dolwyddelan). The precise nature of the later built spaces in the main ward (late C15). Is this a suite of high-status guest/ household accommodation, when the castle was used for leisure pursuits? 38