Position.—ORFORD Castle is in no way remarkable for its position. It lies nearly two miles from the sea, and about half a mile from the river Ore, which here flows through low swampy ground, whilst on the land side the country is for some miles perfectly flat. But this natural weakness of its situation has been in some measure made up by the keep being erected upon a mound, that in a degree is artificial, and being surrounded by a fosse, varying from twenty to thirty feet in depth. In addition to this, the multangular keep was encircled by a lofty wall, that had merlons and a parapet walk all round. This concentric defence terminated at the approach across the fosse on the south-western side. Very little of it now remains, and even the whole of that which does, is so much hollowed out and broken near the ground, that it stands in a precarious and dangerous state.