James of St. George (King Edward I's military architect)
1283-92
The inner ward, at the east end of the castle, which contained apartments for King Edward and Queen Eleanor, could only be approached directly from the water. For a plan of the castle, see this layout. The four towers to the east are different from the other towers since they have turrets rising above the towers, providing a lookout post for those guarding the royal apartments. The main rooms of the inner ward are seen today at basement level. Left: west wall of the Presence chamber; Center: view of the east wall of the Presence Chamber, which overlooked the east barbicon; right: window in the west wall of the Presence Chamber with some of the tracery still remaining | ||
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Like the west barbicon, the eastern counterpart has a forecourt in front of a wall pierced by a portal (in this case smaller than that of the west barbicon). It is similarly protected by a row of machicolation. It is, however, larger than the west barbicon and "appears always to have been used as a garden. It is so named (herbarium) in an account of 1316" (Cadw 38). The east barbicon | ||
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Left: the tops of the battlements decorated with finials, small spikes of stone, some of which still survive today; center: fireplace in one of the towers (the Kitchen Tower?); the city walls | ||
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