At low tide the Dart at that point was never less than
five yards deep, and in the dark it was an easy matter for a ship to
pass through unobserved. To provide against this contingency, according
to a document in the possession of the Corporation dating from the
twenty-first year of the reign of King Edward IV, a grant of L30 per
annum out of the Customs was made to the "Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses
of Dartmouth, who had begonne to make a strong and myghte Toure of lyme
and stone adjoining the Castelle there," and who were also to "fynde a
cheyne sufficient in length and strength to streche and be laide
over-thwarte or a travers the mouth of the haven of Dartmouth" from
Dartmouth Castle to Kingswear Castle on the opposite bank to keep out
all intruders. This "myghte cheyne" was raised across the entrance every
night so that no ships could get through, and the groove through which
it passed was still to be seen.
Dartmouth Castle stood low down on a point of land on the seashore, and
had two towers, the circular one having been built in the time of Henry
VIII. Immediately adjoining it was a very small church of a much earlier
date than the castle, dedicated to St.
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