Norman Keeps with External Offsets


Several Norman towers have external offsets, but far more have internal ones as these are useful to place floors upon.  The use of external offsets would appear to be purely decorative.  It is noticeable that these features are mainly found on early keeps.  
The few noticed examples are listed below, but please email me if you know of any more.


England
Castle Masonry type Structure
Appleby ashlar chamfered at first floor
Bamburgh ashlar chamfered on main walls, not on corner buttresses
Bamburgh ashlar SW tower on 3 levels
Bridgnorth ashlar chamfered at 3 levels
Brough coursed rubble chamfered plinth and at 2 levels above
Carlisle ashlar chamfered at 3 levels, the lowest doubled in places
Colchester rubble chamfered on plinth and at 1 level on corner buttresses?
Corfe ashalr keep and forebuilding on multiple levels
Dover rubble chamfered at 2 levels
Exeter ashlar gatehouse chamfered at 2 levels
Guildford ashlar and coursed rubble chamfered on plinth
Hopton rubble chamfered on plinth
Kendal rubble chamfered plinth and at 2 levels above
Kenilworth ashlar chamfered on second floor
Lancaster coursed rubble chamfered at 2 levels.  Mural tower at 2 levels
Lincoln ashlar chamfered plinth and first floor (upper stages destroyed)
Norham ashlar 5 irregular chamfered offsets, with 2 levels above with a string course inbetween
Portchester ashlar twin chamfer on cornter buttress plinths
Richmond ashlar chamfered plinth and at 3 levels
Wattlesborough ashlar chamfered on second floor
West Malling rubble chamfered at 2 levels
Whittington rubble chamfered on plinth



France
Castle Masonry type Structure
Brionne - Normandy ashlar
Chambois - Normandy ashlar 2 levels
Chateau-sur-Epte - Normandy ashlar gatehouse first floor
Chateau-Renault - Loire rubble round keep with several stepped offsets
Chateaudun - Isle de France ashlar round keep with stepped offsets
Moncontour - Loire rubble 1 level
Rouen - Normandy ashlar round keep on 2 levels


If you know any churches or castles to add to this list please email Paul.


 

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