Taoul Castle

[Sanguine Roku]

The statues of the guardians greet the visitor above the first arch of the castle gate. Once inside this arch one can see the entrance to the castle straight ahead. On the left are modified farm buildings, which is now the castle barracks, with the captain of the guard's quarters nearest to the castle. On the right are a number of temporary buildings, used for various purposes.

The castle was originally built by an alliance of dragons and dwarves and was planned on the concentric plan, which was the most efficient type of fortification known at that time. It had withstood several wars and hundreds of attacks, some of which had left marks on the rough stone walls. As can be seen from the map that is displayed in the halls, the castle has two near circular rings of fortifications, one inside the other. Each of these is made of a stone found deep within the earth, with towers spaced round it.

Most of the original outer wall is still in perfect condition and can be seen stretching away to right and left on either side of the heavily fortified outer gate-house straight ahead. Arrow slits can be seen in this on both sides and on the left there is a battlemented parapet, with a walk behind it on which defenders of the castle stand to shoot.

One emerges from the gate-house into the outer court of the castle which lies between the inner and outer walls. This has had various buildings built in it at varying times, as on the right of the entrance, but it stretches away into an open area, used for training on the left. Up above the inner arch of the outer gate-house is an iron plaque. The name of the figure depicted cannot be distinguished, but it can be seen that the dragon was once a great king.

Ahead, and to the left is the inner gate-house leading through the inner wall to the courtyard. It is defended on its left, or south side, by a large tower. Between the external supports, are more shoots for missiles and there are also large holes for this purpose in the floor itself, which you can see as you pass underneath.

Once inside the courtyard everything has a more peaceful air. However, if one stands just inside the gateway one can see two more towers. In the far right hand, or north-west, corner stands the tall Gibbet Tower of the inner ring. Away in the south-west corner of the outer curtain is the Lady Tagnik Tower. This tower, which has been rebuilt several times, is now much higher than it was originally.

Passing under the porch with the stained glass window and turning right, one enters the Great Hall. There is a gallery on one side and on the other, a raised dais for the high table. The fireplace is the original and is a very fine example of a dwarven chimney-piece. The roof has designs of roses, and the ceiling features paintings of great battles of the past, as well as a stained glass skylight.

The hall is built against part of the thick inner ring wall on the fireplace side and the parapet here has been replaced by a thin upper wall containing more stained glass windows. Opposite the fireplace the window is more modern and is clear glass, allowing one to see into the gardens.

Passing out of the Great Hall by the door in the corner and continuing forward one comes to the stairs leading up to the library. The original drawing rooms, which extended little further than the first part of the library, are used to display a very splendid collection of armour. The rest of this very large room is sometimes used as a ballroom.

Across the other side of the valley one can see, except in full summer when the trees obscure it, the ruins of a watchtower put up around the same time as the castle, but not as well up kept.

Down the main stairs and to the left is an ante-room to the dining hall known as the Breakfast Room, which features a huge fireplace. The roof is similar to that in the Great Hall, and the ceiling of this is a very fine wooden one, carved and coloured to look like a summer sky. Many carved roses, several angels, a whole series of griffins, two chimeras, and an eagle, can also be seen. A stone screen divides the very large kitchen from the dining hall, is carved from black marble.

The gardens slope down in terraces to the walls, together with windbreaks of cleverly arranged hedges and trees, make this a beautiful place for a garden. Looking from the top lawn the view is framed by banks of trees on both sides and by the two towers on the sea wall, and the two tall pines in the centre cleverly enhance it. Passing down the steps on the right, one comes to a second lawn and then a long border protected by a very fine yew hedge. Below this garden and to the left is the Rose Garden where all sort of different roses, even the rare blue rose, are grown.

On the other side of the garden is the magnificent open-air swimming pool constructed on the site of an old jousting ground. It has now been divided into a deep, heated portion and a shallow, unheated end but it was originally all one.