then　turning　outward　again　in　the　form　of　a　dice…box；　so　that
  the　defenders　on　the　top　might　the　better　protect　the　base。
  It　is　formed　of　rough　stones；　selected　with　care；　and　laid　in
  courses　or　circles；　with　much　compactness；　but　without　cement
  of　any　kind。　　The　tower　has　never；　to　appearance；　had　roofing
  of　any　sort；　a　fire　was　made　in　the　centre　of　the　space　which
  it　encloses；　and　originally　the　building　was　probably　little　more
  than　a　wall　drawn　as　a　sort　of　screen　around　the　great　council
  fire　of　the　tribe。　　But；　although　the　means　or　ingenuity　of
  the　builders　did　not　extend　so　far　as　to　provide　a　roof；　they　supplied
  the　want　by　constructing　apartments　in　the　interior　of
  the　walls　of　the　tower　itself。　　The　circumvallation　formed　a
  double　enclosure；　the　inner　side　of　which　was；　in　fact；　two　feet
  or　three　feet　distant　from　the　other；　and　connected　by　a　concentric
  range　of　long　flat　stones；　thus　forming　a　series　of　concentric
  rings　or　stories　of　various　heights；　rising　to　the　top　of　the　tower。
  Each　of　these　stories　or　galleries　has　four　windows；　facing
  directly　to　the　points　of　the　compass；　and　rising　of　course　regularly
  above　each　other。　　These　four　perpendicular　ranges　of　windows
  admitted　air；　and；　the　fire　being　kindled；　heat；　or　smoke　at
  least；　to　each　of　the　galleries。　　The　access　from　gallery　to　gallery
  is　equally　primitive。　A　path；　on　the　principle　of　an　inclined
  plane；　turns　round　and　round　the　building　like　a　screw；　and　gives
  access　to　the　different　stories；　intersecting　each　of　them　in　its
  turn；　and　thus　gradually　rising　to　the　top　of　the　wall　of　the
  tower。　　On　the　outside　there　are　no　windows　；　and　I　may　add；
  that　an　enclosure　of　a　square；　or　sometimes　a　round　form；　gave
  the　inhabitants　of　the　Burgh　an　opportunity　to　secure　any
  sheep　or　cattle　which　they　might　possess。
  Such　is　the　general　architecture　of　that　very　early　period
  when　the　Northmen　swept　the　seas；　and　brought　to　their
  rude　houses；　such　as　I　have　described　them；　the　plunder　of
  polished　nations。　　In　Zetland　there　are　several　scores　of　these
  Burghs；　occupying　in　every　case；　capes；　headlands；　islets；　and　similar
  places　of　advantage　singularly　well　chosen。　　I　remember
  the　remains　of　one　upon　an　island　in　a　small　lake　near　Lerwick；
  which　at　high　tide　communicates　with　the　sea；　the　access　to
  which　is　very　ingenious；　by　means　of　a　causeway　or　dike；
  about　three　or　four　inches　under　the　surface　of　the　water。　　This
  causeway　makes　a　sharp　angle　in　its　approach　to　the　Burgh。
  The　inhabitants；　doubtless；　were　well　acquainted　with　this；　but
  strangers；　who　might　approach　in　a　hostile　manner；　and　were
  ignorant　of　the　curve　of　the　causeway；　would　probably　plunge
  into　the　lake；　which　is　six　or　seven　feet　in　depth　at　the　least。
  This　must　have　been　the　device　of　some　Vauban　or　Cohorn　of
  those　early　times。
  The　style　of　these　buildings　evinces　that　the　architect　possessed
  neither　the　art　of　using　lime　or　cement　of　any　kind；　nor
  the　skill　to　throw　an　arch；　construct　a　roof；　or　erect　a　stair　；
  and　yet；　with　all　this　ignorance；　showed　great　ingenuity　in　selecting
  the　situation　of　Burghs；　and　regulating　the　access　to
  them；　as　well　as　neatness　and　regularity　in　the　erection；　since
  the　buildings　themselves　show　a　style　of　advance　in　the　arts
  scarcely　consistent　with　the　ignorance　of　so　many　of　the　principal
  branches　of　architectural　knowledge。
  I　have　always　thought；　that　one　of　the　most　curious　and　valuable
  objects　of　antiquaries　has　been　to　trace　the　progress　of
  society；　by　the　efforts　made　in　early　ages　to　improve　the　rudeness
  of　their　first　expedients；　until　they　either　approach　excellence；
  or；　as　is　more　frequently　the　case；　are　supplied　by　new　and
  fundamental　discoveries；　which　supersede　both　the　earlier　and
  ruder　system；　and　the　improvements　which　have　been　ingrafted
  upon　it。　　For　example；　if　we　conceive　the　recent　discovery
  of　gas　to　be　so　much　improved　and　adapted　to　domestic　use；　as
  to　supersede　all　other　modes　of　producing　domestic　light；　we
  can　already　suppose；　some　centuries　afterwards；　the　heads　of　a
  whole　Society　of　Antiquaries　half　turned　by　the　discovery　of　a
  pair　of　patent　snuffers；　and　by　the　learned　theories　which　would
  be　brought　forward　to　account　for　the　form　and　purpose　of　so
  singular　an　implement。
  Following　some　such　principle；　I　am　inclined　to　regard　the
  singular　Castle　of　Coningsburgh…I　mean　the　Saxon　part　of　it…
  as　a　step　in　advance　from　the　rude　architecture；　if　it　deserves
  the　name；　which　must　have　been　common　to　the　Saxons　as　to
  other　Northmen。　　The　builders　had　attained　the　art　of　using
  cement；　and　of　roofing　a　building；…great　improvements　on　the
  original　Burgh。　　But　in　the　round　keep；　a　shape　only　seen　in
  the　most　ancient　castles…the　chambers　excavated　in　the　thickness
  of　the　walls　and　buttresses…the　difficulty　by　which　access
  is　gained　from　one　story　to　those　above　it；　Coningsburgh　still
  retains　the　simplicity　of　its　origin；　and　shows　by　what　slow
  degrees　man　proceeded　from　occupying　such　rude　and　inconvenient
  lodgings；　as　were　afforded　by　the　galleries　of　the　Castle
  of　Mousa；　to　the　more　splendid　accommodations　of　the　Norman
  castles；　with　all　their　stern　and　Gothic　graces。
  I　am　ignorant　if　these　remarks　are　new；　or　if　they　will　be
  confirmed　by　closer　examination　；　but　I　think；　that；　on　a　hasty
  observation；　Coningsburgh　offers　means　of　curious　study　to
  those　who　may　wish　to　trace　the　history　of　architecture　back
  to　the　times　preceding　the　Norman　Conquest。
  It　would　be　highly　desirable　that　a　cork　model　should　be
  taken　of　the　Castle　of　Mousa；　as　it　cannot　be　well　understood　by
  a　plan。
  The　Castle　of　Coningsburgh　is　thus　described：…
  ‘‘The　castle　is　large；　the　outer　walls　standing　on　a　pleasant
  ascent　from　the　river；　but　much　overtopt　by　a　high　hill；　on
  which　the　town　stands；　situated　at　the　head　of　a　rich　and　magnificent
  vale；　formed　by　an　amphitheatre　of　woody　hills；　in
  which　flows　the　gentle　Don。　　Near　the　castle　is　a　barrow；　said
  to　be　Hengist's　tomb。　　The　entrance　is　flanked　to　the　left　by　a
  round　tower；　with　a　sloping　base；　and　there　are　several　similar
  in　the　outer　wall　the　entrance　has　piers　of　a　gate；　and　on　the
  east　side　the　ditch　and　bank　are　double　and　very　steep。　　On　the
  top　of　the　churchyard　wall　is　a　tombstone；　on　which　are　cut　in
  high　relief；　two　ravens；　or　such…like　birds。　　On　the　south　side　of
  the　churchyard　lies　an　ancient　stone；　ridged　like　a　coffin；　on
  which　is　carved　a　man　on　horseback；　and　another　man　with　a
  shield　encountering　a　vast　winged　serpent；　and　a　man　bearing　a
  shield　behind　him。　　It　was　probably　one　of　the　rude　crosses　not
  uncommon　in　churchyards　in　this　county。　　See　it　engraved　on
  the　plate　of　crosses　for　this　volume；　plate　14。　fig。　1。　The　name
  of　Coningsburgh；　by　which　this　castle　goes　in　the　old　editions
  of　the　Britannia；　would　lead　one　to　suppose　it　the　residence　of
  the　Saxon　kings。　　It　afterwards　belonged　to　King　Harold。　　The
  Conqueror　bestowed　it　on　William　de　Warren；　with　all　its　privileges
  and　jurisdiction；　which　are　said　to　have　extended　over　twenty…eight
  towns。　At　the　corner　of　the　area；　which　is　of　an　irregular
  form；　stands　the　great　tower；　or　keep；　placed　on　a　small
  hill　of　its　own　dimensions；　on　which　lies　six　vast　projecting　buttresses；
  ascending　in　a　steep　direction　to　prop　and　support　the
  building；　and　continued　upwards　up　the　side　as　turrets。　　The
  tower　within　forms　a　complete　circle；　twenty…one　feet　in　diameter；
  the　walls　fourteen　feet　thick。　　The　ascent　into　the　tower
  is　by　an　exceeding　deep　flight　of　steep　steps；　four　feet　and　a　half
  wide；　on　the　south　side　leading　to　a　low　doorway；　over　which　is
  a　circular　arch　crossed　by　a　great　transom　stone。　　Within　this
  door　is　the　staircase　which　ascends　straight　through　the　thickness
  of　the　wall；　not　communicating　with　the　room　on　the　first
  floor；　in　whose　centre　is　the　opening　to　the　dungeon。　　Neither
  of　these　lower　rooms　is　lighted　except　from　a　hole　in　the　floor　of
  the　third　story；　the　room　in　which；　as　well　as　in　that　above　it；
  is　finished　with　compact　smooth　stonework；　both　having　chimney…pieces；
  with　an　arch　resting　on　triple　clustered　pillars。　　In
  the　third　story；　or　guard…chamber；　is　a　small　recess　with　a　loop…hole；
  probably　a　bedchamber；　and　in　that　floor　above　a　niche　for
  a　saint　or　holy…water　pot。　　Mr　King　imagines　　this　a　Saxon
  castle　of　the　first　ages　of　the　Heptarchy。　　Mr　Watson　thus
  describes　it。　　From　the　first　floor　to　the　second　story；　（third
  from　the　ground；）　is　a　way　by　a　stair　in　the　wall　five　feet　wide。
  The　next　staircase　is　approached　by　a　ladder；　and　ends　at　the
  fourth　story　from　the　ground。　　Two　yards　from　the　door；　at
  the　head　of　this　stair；　is　an　opening　nearly　east；　accessible　by
  treading　on　the　ledge　of　the　wall；　which　diminishes　eight　inches
  each　story　；　and　this　last　opening　leads　into　a　room　or　chapel
  ten　feet　by　twelve；　and　fifteen　or　sixteen　high；　arched　with　free…stone；