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Northernhay Gardens, Exeter

Passing through a gate in the wall in the centre of the gardens will lead you the 18th Century Rougemont (meaning "Red Hill") Gardens which are set below the walls of the castle, where part of the moat lay, but is now completely dry. The inner bailey of the large stone ringwork Castle was built in 1068 under the instruction of William the Conqueror to defend this important town. The area of Rougemont is a natural volcanic peak. The building of the castle was due to an 18 day siege, and William put Baldwin de Brionne, his Sheriff of Devon in charge of defence. Some skill and plenty of thought must have gone into it as it gives an extensive view, not only of the City, but also the river and as far as the sea, almost ten miles away. The only means of entrance to the castle would have been a drawbridge. All that remains of the castle today is the early Norman Gatehouse, one of the earliest pieces of Norman building work to survive in the whole of England, and Athelstans Tower. At the foot of the gatehouse are some canons stamped "Spanish Armada" 1588. This tower was constructed in the late 12th century, not by King Athelstan who was the first son of Edward the Elder and reigned between the years of 925 and 940. The Norman gatehouse was 2 stories high, with extremely small windows, the walls 6 feet thick and featured an inner and outer door, each with a 12 foot archway.

deerstalker by e.b.stephens in northernhay gardens. photograph by sean creech (c) 2001
deerstalker by e.b.stephens in northernhay gardens. photograph by sean creech (c) 2001



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