Castle Stairs

Linked The Close (HER 6569) with the upper part of the medieval town and Castle Garth. Since these stairs lead down from the south postern of the castle they must have been an early route, but the first documentary references to "the common steps leading up to the high castle" is 1520. There was a speculative development of tenement dwellings on the east side of Castle Stairs in around 1745, by William Mills. By 1758, Mills had also acquired a block of buildings called Clogger's Row adjoining the eastern side of the Keep. Buildings were also built west of Castle Stairs, in the late 17th century, spilling over the curtain wall. They were extended and adapted in 18th century (see HER 6542).