them; we shall only observe that a very beautiful one has been erected within a few years, to the memory of the late Sir George Saville, Bart.

St. Mary's Abbey, formerly a most noble and magnificent monastery, but now in ruins, is situate under the walls, on the north side of the city. It was built in 1089, and suffered in the great conflagration, which burnt down the cathedral in 1137. It lay in ruins till 1270, when it was began to be rebuilt by Simon de Warwick, then abbot. A few remains of this once noble building are, however, only now observable. There is no place about the city, which can boast of a more agreeable scite; being on a rising ground, the aspect south-west, declining every way to the river Ouse, which runs by at the bottom. The whole circumference, by an exact mensuration, is 1280 yards. The abbey church was 371 feet in length, and 60 in breadth. At the north-east corner of the walls is a tower called St. Mary's Tower, in which all the records, taken out of the religious houses on the north side of the Trent, at their dissolution, were deposited under the care of the lord president. Mr. Dodsworth had but just finished his laborious transcript of these valuable remains, when the tower was blown up in the siege of York in 1644, and most of the original records were destroyed. From the manor shore, on which this abbey is situated, may be seen an octagon tower, unquestionably a Roman

structure.

York contains also the following churches: All Saints, North Street; St. Crux, St. Cuthbert's, St. Dennis, St. Helens, St. John's, St. Lawrence, St. Martin's, Cony Street; St. Michael le Belfry; St. Mary's, Castle-gate; St. Michael, Spurrier-gate; St. Martin's, Mickle-gate; Bishop-hill the elder, and Bishop-hill the younger, St. Maurice, St. Margaret's, St. Olave's, St. Saviour's, St. Sampson's, Christchurch,

Christchurch, Trinity, Goodram-gate; and Trinity, Mickle-gate.

The church of All-Saints, on the Pavement, is a beautiful old church, with a gothic steeple of exquisite workmanship. Upon the tower is a fine lantern (with pinnacles of a considerable height) not much unlike that of Boston in Lincolnshire.

St. Margaret's church in Walm-gate, has one of the most extraordinary porches ever seen. It is a most sumptuous and elaborate piece of Saxon architecture, with our Saviour on the cross on the top of it; but what seems still more surprising is, that they say it did not originally belong to the church, but was brought hither from the dissolved hospital of St. Nicholas, without Walm-gatebar.

St. Mary's, in Castle-gate, was greatly admired for a pyramidal steeple; but a flash of lightening struck the top of the spire on the 31st of January 1797, and damaged it so much that a considerable part of it was obliged to be taken down. St. Crux's church has a fine modern steeple.

The Castle is situated at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss. The Foss was formerly drawn in a deep moat quite round it, and made it inaccessible, except by two draw-bridges; the largest of which led to the ancient great gate from the county on the south, the other from the city on the north. About the year 1734 the latter was rebuilt in a handsome manner, and is at present the only entrance into the castle, except a small postern near the mills.

The area of the castle is very considerable for a prison; the walls are about 1100 yards in circumference; and as the prisoners have the liberty of walking in it, their confinement is rendered thereby less irksome and more healthy: it is likewise well supplied with excellent water.--On the right wing of the area is a noble prison for debtors,

It is on

which does honour to the county. floor (ascended to by a fine flight of stone steps) on which are eleven rooms, full sixteen feet square, and near twelve high. Above these is the same number of rooms one or two of them for common-side-debtors. On the ground floor are the gaoler's apartments, &c. In the left wing is a handsome chapel, neatly adorned with suitable furniture, to which belong a chaplain and lecturer. The former has a yearly salary of 501. from the county, and the latter a salary, left by legacy, of 251. There is a surgeon for debtors and felons, with a salary of 401.

The felons' court-yard is down five steps between the two wings; in it is a spacious day room for men The women felons are kept quite separate; they have a day and two night rooms. The condemned room for the women is in another part of the prison.

On the west side of the area is the Basilica, or New County Hall, built at the expence of the county, and was opened at the summer assizes in 1777. It is a superb bunding of the lonic order, 150 feet in length, and 45 feet in breadth, situate on the west side of the area. In the south end is the court for the trial of the prisoners, and in the north end is the court of nisi prius. Each of these is 30 feet in diameter, crowned with a dome 40 feet in height, which is supported by 12 Corinthian columns; adjoining are proper rooms for the grand and petit juries, and other necessary apartments. The entrance into this building is by a loggio of six columns, 30 feet in height, over which are placed the king's arms, an elegant statue of justice, and other emblematical figures.

In the year 1780, an additional building was erected on the east side, under the direction of the late Mr. Carr, of York, in order to remedy

many

many inconveniences which the humane Mr. Howard observed in the old gaol. This building consists of several spacious arched cells, for the confinement of felons for petty and other offences, separate from the more notorious offenders; apartments for work-rooms, and for the continement of women and debtors; distinct hospital rooms for men and women; and apartments for the clerk of assize, county records, &c. The fabric extends in length 105 feet: in the front is a handsome Ionic colonnade or loggio, similar to that in the front of the court of justice, which is very convenient for the prisoners to work or walk in.

At the distance of 77 feet from the castle gate on the outside (the extent of the city liberties) are erected the arms of the city. Here the sheriffs for the city stand to receive the judges of assize, and conduct them to the common hall, when they come the circuit.

Adjoining the castle is a high mount, thrown up by prodigious labour, on which stands a tower, consisting of four segments of a circle, joined together and called Clifford's Tower.

This place, according to tradition, was built by the Norman Conqueror, and takes its name from the Cliffords, William having appointed one of that family the governor. In the following reign it fell into a ruinous state, and remained in that situation until the rebellion in the time of Charles I. 1664, when it was orded to be fortified for the defence of the city. The tower being repaired and strengthened with fortifications, a draw bridge, deep moat, and pallisades, on the top was erected a platform, whereon several pieces of cannon were mounted, and a garrison appointed for its defence. On the surrender of the city to the parliament army, it was dismantled of its garrison, except the tower, of which Sir R. Dickinson, then lord mayor of York, was appointed governor.

It remained in the hands of his successors, till 1683, when Sir John Reresby was appointed governor by Charles II. In 1084, on the festival of St. George, about ten at night, the magazine took fire, blew up, and reduced to the tower to its present situation. We have only further to observe, that though the Conqueror might build the tower, yet the mount on which it stands, appears, from its magnitude, to have been effected only by Roman labour.

At the south corner of the city, within the walls, is a place of great antiquity; so old as to mock any search yet made for its origin.

It is called in the most ancient deeds and histories, Vetus Bellium or Old Baile, which according to the etymology of the word, appears to come from the Norman Baile, a prison or place of security. Leland, and after him Camden, are positive that this is the platform of a castle. The mount was planted with trees in 1726, and commands a good prospect of the city and surrounding country.

The New Walk is near a mile in length, running along the banks of the Ouse. It is a fine gravelled terrace, agreeably shaded with lofty trees. At convenient distances are placed chairs for the accommodation of the public. The utmost attention is paid to its order; and it is universally allowed to be equal to any public walk in the kingdom. About the centre stood a beautiful stone bridge over the Foss, (which since the river has been made navigable) has been taken down, and the present wooden one erected in its place.

The Ouse bridge was built, or rather rebuilt, in 1566. It consists of five arches; the middlemost arch is 81 feet, or 27 yards wide, from the west spring of the arch, and 1 high, and was esteemed formerly, one of the largest in Europe. On the bridge stands the council chamber of the city till of late years they were removed to the Guildhall. Beneath