The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-01
EARLY FORMS OF ENGLISH HOUSE
 WAS TIE KEEP
Was Massive Structure Sev- eral Stories ill Height of
 Sombre Necessity.
DRAWBRIDGE USED
 FOR IDENTIFICATION
The Hall Was Principal J Room and of Large Size.

The earliest form of an English house built fin permanent fashion was tho keep. These were located in the midst of earthworks, which the Com uucror and his followers found scat tered over tho land. The works were strengthened by stone walls for the vifrpose of n more effective defense. with projecting towers so far as thesn might prove an advantage. The keep. thus protected from enemies. was the first form of the English mans home" which he has staunchly defended in hil ages. Built of stone, it was for the domestic use of the owner, his family and immediate at tendants, whilst for the accommoda- tion of tho vassals and rctainers who overflowcd from the towers and keep temporary wooden structures were regarded as forming an adequate shelter.
 The keep. continues tho writer in ''House and Garden was a massive rectangular structure. usually sev- oral stories in height, varying Tn size from 30 to so feet square. The walls were of great strength and seldom lees than eight. and often as much as Is to 20 feet in thickness. There was but one room on each floor. but enormous walls were honcycombed with small mural chambers and con tained many rcccsses which were nsed as sleeping and retiring places
 nc family and principal guests,
 fin most instances a circular
 ,u!lt into the stone connected
 DOT with another.
 interior was sombro of ncces-
 because the cNiEencies of defense
 4c lighting only permissible by
 ans nf narrow slits fin the walls.
 frcuircp was q mere recess In wall. with no ornamental feat and no fue as we know it, mere
 e funnel being provided which led n small vertical opening in the co of the wall through which a rt of the smolEe-and only part
 ft-rould find is way out. How or. thls might not have been SO ob .ctlennblr as ono may imagine. for nero are more unpleasant odors than those of tho smoke of pine or oak log.
 This primitive form of home. of
 .rsa. had but primitive adornment.
 luiy attempt at formal decora-
 uoS the form Of shields. arms
 rophlcs of tho chase fixed upon -rsA vails. which both satisfied the pridN of the owner and furnished some relief fur the plain walls. The  substantiat. md there were great square beams supporting the ceil- inEs Tho dporways were small and of the simplest description. Tables hnd seats were of the piaiucst hewn charnctor--ali of solid oak and de- void of carving.
 Then change came over the politics and sccurity of tho nation. The country became more and more ssttled and defense was not so im- Ipsrafive, so the keep. which was piled tp, one story on another, took q more convenient and livable form. The rooms were placed alongside euch other on the ground, and tho manor house type emerged. It is this manor house which has develop cd through the centuries into the house of modern times.
 The fortified nanor house. in od- dition to its strong outer walls, was usually surrounded by n deep ditch or moat. across which n drawbridge wns placed, which could be raised or lowered ns occasion demanded, and which led Co strongly defended .satewny, The principal feature of these fortified houses was n central theii, where everyone lived when in- idoors 1t was the living. Ginlng and sleeping place for all. Adjoining this at one end was n room or rooms for the master, which was called tho so- liar and at the other end culinary department which formed the head ,uuarters for the servants.
 The hnli, or principal room, was necessarily of large size, lofty and of