The dungeon
THE DUNGEON is a place so remarkable here, that
it cannot be passed by unnoticed in the description of
this city. The Dungeon, or Danejohn-field, for it is at
present known by both these names, lies near the scite
of old Riding-gate, adjoining but within the walls of
the city, at the south-east corner of it, and on the
west side almost to the ditch and wall of the castle
bayle. In antient deeds the name is variously written
Dangon, Daungeon, and Dungen; names all much
alike and of the same import.
At the south-east corner of this field, close to the
city wall, there is thrown up a vast artificial mount,
or hill, now to all appearance circular, having a deep
ditch, from which no doubt the earth was taken
round the other part of it; it is a great deal higher
than the wall ever was, when entire; insomuch, that
from the top of it there is a clear view over the whole
city below it, as well as a great extent of the adjacent
country; (fn. 1) the field itself, before the late alterations,
consisted of very uneven ground, and whatever had
occasioned it, had never been levelled. On the outward, or opposite side of the wall to the above mount,
the city ditch and a high road only separating the
two, is another artificial mount, of a much smaller
size and not half so high. (fn. 2) .
This place was esteemed of such consequence,
that it gave name to the adjoining manor of the
Dungeon.
The original of its name is conjectured to have arisen from its having been the Danes work, and to have
been from thence corruptly called Dangeon and Daungeon, for Danien or Danes hill; (fn. 3) and that, because it
was either their work against the city, or of the city
against them; but the former appears, by what follows, to be much more probable. Indeed, it seems
to have been the proper work of the Danes, the great
and frequent molesters, invaders, and wasters of this
city, and most likely at the time when in king Ethelred's days they besieged the city, and after twenty days
resistance, took it by storm, and then destroyed both
city and inhabitants.
Whoever well observes the whole of this spot, will
plainly see, that the works above-mentioned, both
within and without the present wall of the city, were
not counterworks one against the other, as the common opinion is, but were once all one entire plot,
containing about three acres of ground; the outwork
of a triangular form, with a mount or hill (what appears to be now two, having been but one of a pearlike shape, till cut through, as will be noticed hereafter) intrenched round within it, and that, when first
made and cast up, it lay wholly without the city wall,
and that part of the mount which now forms the larger one and most part of the outwork likewise, to
wards the north of it, for the greater security of the
city, has been taken and walled in, since that side of
the trench was formed, which encompasses the smaller
mount now lying without and under the wall, (fitly
meeting with the rest of the city ditch) after both sides
of the outwork were cut through to make way for it,
at the time of the city's being walled and inditched; a
conjecture that must seem probable to any one who
marks and examines the place with attention. (fn. 4)