Tea-time talk: Bristol Castle

[@bigyodagaming3432]

Very interesting!

[@ScruffyTubbles]

Yes I am unsure why it is thought that the main gate was so far down and up the old path of the Avon? The Stag and Hounds which was the Pie Poudre Court (Court Staple) administering the Law Merchant was held in the Stag and Hounds Pub. That is the market of Bristol and these courts were usually held outside the doors of the castle wall. Also of course there is the further wall that went along Lawfords Gate which would suggest that the outside entrance was along there. Someone I spoke to also said that a hanging ditch had been discovered in Midland Road when there were excavations? I am not sure about having read that but it would be commensurate with a straight through access to the East from the East where the rock and coal of Kingswood came form into the castle and the remains of the gallows thrown into Midland Road ditch appears interesting (but one officially acknowledged execution by Bristol and Avon Archeological Society took place along Newgate Street (where the very old 17th Century prison cage used to be). The keep it is thought had five towers not four and excavations of the latrine form the keep evidenced a very high-level of living by the occupants (near the Serjeant's quarters I seem to recall). This is suggested by BAAS. Interestingly also, when the old George's Brewery site was excavated when they developed flats there, they found a lot of Templar activity and dice etc from the period and conceded the standard of living there - the South side of the picture of the Watergate - was very pleasant.