Айвенго

Chapter 41

           ThesoftandgentleriverDonsweepsthroughanamphitheatre,inwhichcultivationisrichlyblendedwithwoodland,andonamount,ascendingfromtheriver,welldefendedbywallsandditches,risesthisancientedifice,which,asitsSaxonnameimplies,was,previoustotheConquest,aroyalresidenceofthekingsofEngland.TheouterwallshaveprobablybeenaddedbytheNormans,buttheinnerkeepbearstokenofverygreatantiquity.Itissituatedonamountatoneangleoftheinnercourt,andformsacompletecircleofperhapstwenty-fivefeetindiameter.Thewallisofimmensethickness,andisproppedordefendedbysixhugeexternalbuttresseswhichprojectfromthecircle,andriseupagainstthesidesofthetowerasiftostrengthenortosupportit.Thesemassivebuttressesaresolidwhentheyarisefromthefoundation,andagoodwayhigherup;butarehollowedouttowardsthetop,andterminateinasortofturretscommunicatingwiththeinteriorofthekeepitself.Thedistantappearanceofthishugebuilding,withthesesingularaccompaniments,isasinterestingtotheloversofthepicturesque,astheinteriorofthecastleistotheeagerantiquary,whoseimaginationitcarriesbacktothedaysoftheHeptarchy.Abarrow,inthevicinityofthecastle,ispointedoutasthetombofthememorableHengist;andvariousmonuments,ofgreatantiquityandcuriosity,areshownintheneighbouringchurchyard.

           WhenCoeur-de-Lionandhisretinueapproachedthisrudeyetstatelybuilding,itwasnot,asatpresent,surroundedbyexternalfortifications.

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