down upon Old Durham House, its terraces and hanging gardens, with a fine bend of cultivated country stretching away through another opening of the hills towards the east, bounded by the high woods of Quarrington, and the cliffs of Coxhoe lime-kilns; more rustic than the other views, and being in simple nature, affords a pleasing variety to the eye of the man of taste, who stands (if we may be allowed the extravagant expression) on this enchanted ground."

The Church of St. Margaret, situated in Crossgate, and of Little St. Mary, in the South Bailey, display nothing remarkable. The Meeting Houses are six: these are occupied by the respective denominations of Independants, Presbyterians, Quakers, Methodists, and Roman Catholics.

The Market Place is a small square, having a Guildhall, or Tolbooth, on the west side; a Pant, to supply the inhabitants with water, near the centre; and a Piazza, where the corn markets, &c. are held, on the south. The Guildhall was originally built by Bishop Tunstall, about the year 1555, but has since been repaired, and much improved in the dining-room are portraits of CHARLES THE SECOND, and BISHOP CREWE. The Pant, or Conduit, is a stone building, of an octagonal form, with a statue of Neptune on the summit. The water is brought from an inclosed spring, about half a mile distant, originally given for the use of the city, in March, 1451, by Thomas Billingham, of Chokchagh, Esq. to John Laund, Alderman of the Guild of Corpus Christi, in the Church of St. Nicholas, and his successors, with leave "to convey the water to the pant, or reservoir, in the market-place, for the use and benefit of the inhabitants, paying for the use thereof to the said Thomas, and his successors, thirteen pence annually, on the feast of St. Martin; provided that no water should be drawn from thence to any other part of the city, except to the Grantor's house, in the market-place." On the twenty-first of July, in the same year, Bishop Neville confirmed the above grant, by letters patent, and gave permission "to the grantees to dig in his manor, for the purpose of laying and repairing the pipes, &c." When the inhabitants had enjoyed the bene

From the Cathedral on the north extends an open area, called the Place, or Palace Green, on the north side of which is the CASTLE, now the residence of the Bishop whenever he visits Durham. This structure stands on the continuation of the same rocky eminence on which the Cathedral is built, and from its upper apartments, commands some very fine views of the city, and surrounding country. Whether this spot was fortified before the time of William the Conqueror, is uncertain; but its favorable situation for defence renders the affirmative extremely probable. The fortifications which originally surrounded the city included the whole summit of the hill, the outward wall extending along the very brink of the eminence, and forming an oval figure, abruptly terminated at its northern extremity by the Castle. The most ancient part of this structure is the keep, or tower, which occupies the top of an artificial mount, and is supposed to have been of Norman construction; though Hutchinson, from "the roses which ornament the summits of the buttresses, and the form of the windows,' ,"* is more inclined to refer its erection to Bishop Hatfield. The form of the keep is that of an irregular octagon; its diameter, in the widest part, sixty-three feet, six inches; and in the narrowest, sixty-one feet. It is now a mere shell; but appears to have contained originally, four stories, or tiers of apartments, exclusive

120.

but, after many warm debates, it at length passed by a division of 201 against The preamble to the bill sets forth, that certain ambitious persons, taking advantage of the late King's minority, made an interest by sinister practices to procure a dissolution of the Bishoprick; that it was done out of mercenary views, to enrich themselves and friends, by seizing the lands of the See, rather than upon just occasion and godly zeal: that Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham, was deprived upon undue surmises, and false accusations, and that the process against him was false and illegal, &c. That the Queen had new founded the Bishoprick by her Letters Patent, and restored all the lands in her possession; but that as neither the sentence of deprivation, nor the Queen's Letters Patent, were of sufficient force to recover the honours, lands, &c. to the See of Durham, therefore, to restore the Bishoprick to its former interest, privileges, and revenues, the two dissolution statutes of the last reign were thereby repealed." Statutes at Large, 1. M. C. 3.

* History of Durham, Vol. II. p. 286.

exclusive of a series of vaults, which rise from the foundation. The angles are supported by buttresses; and a parapet, defended by an embattled breast-work, has run round the summit of the whole building; but this having become very ruinous, was taken down by the direction of Bishop Thurlow, in the year 1789: the principal entrance was on the west side. The perpendicular height of the mount on which it stands, is forty-four feet: round this space three pleasant terraces have been formed, each ten feet wide, and communicating with each other by flights of steps.

The buildings which now constitute the Castle, have been erected at various times, and by different persons, and have consequently but very little uniformity. Some parts, which had suffered by fire, were restored by Bishop Pudsey, who acceded to the Bishopric in the year 1153. He is also supposed to have erected the first hall; but this, with other parts of the Castle, going to decay, a new and more magnificent hall was built by Bishop Hatfield, the original length of which is recorded to have been 120 yards. From this apartment the present Hall has been formed, which is of extensive proportions; its length being 180 feet, its height thirty-six, and its breadth fifty. Within it are some casts of busts from the antique; and whole-length portraits of the Archbishops, CRANMER, PARKER, WHITGIFT, BANCROFT, and LAUD; and of JOHN OVERALL, Bishop of Norwich; JOHN COSIN, Bishop of Durham; and LAUNCELOT ANDREWS, Bishop of Winchester. Many additions and alterations were made by succeeding prelates, and particularly by Bishop Tunstall, who erected a gateway and tower on the side of the Place Green, and flanked it on each side with a strong wall: he also built a small chapel, and made various other improvements. Additional apartments were erected by Bishop Cosin; and further alterations have been since effected, by which the internal arrangement and appear

ance

In this apartment, on the enthronization of Bishop Bury, that Prelate entertained the King and Queen of England, the King of Scotland, the two Metropolitans, and five other Bishops; seven Earls, with their Ladies; all the Nobility north of Trent; with a vast concourse of Knights, Esquires, and other people of distinction; among whom were many Abbots, Priors, and other religious persons. Hutchinson.

ance of the buildings have been much amended. Under the direction of Shute Barrington, the present Bishop, new improvements have been made; and a most beautiful Archway in the gallery, supposed to have been stopt up several centuries, again opened, and repaired. This is one of the most perfect specimens of AngloNorman architecture extant; and may be regarded as unique, not only from the beauty of the pattern, but also from the "number of the mouldings, the variety of the ornaments, and the nicety of the workmanship." Various paintings are distributed on the staircase, and through some of the apartments, but not any of them merit particular notice; the principal ornaments of this description being at the Palace at Bishop's Auckland.

Contiguous to the keep, on the east, is the great North Gateway, a very strong fabric, erected by Bishop Langley, and now used as the jail. The outward, or lower part, was defended by a gate and portcullis; within which is a recess, constructed with sallyports and galleries, for the annoyance of assailants, who might force the first gate: the upper part was secured by double gates. All the other gates of the city have been removed.

On the west side of the Place Green is the Exchequer, a strong square stone building, erected by Bishop Neville, about the year 1450. Adjoining it is the Bishop's Library, built by Bishop Cosin, who also greatly contributed towards erecting the Law Courts, south of the Library, where the assizes, quarter sessions, &c. are held. The court for the trial of Crown causes was much enlarged in the year 1791. On the opposite side of the Green is an Hospital, or Alms-house, for eight poor men and women, founded by Bishop Cosin in the year 1666; and adjoining it, at each end, a School-house, rebuilt about the same period by the above Prelate, but originally endowed by Bishop Langley.

From the Place Green is an avenue leading to the public walks, called the Banks, which skirt the river, and were made, and are kept in repair, by the munificence of the Dean and Chapter. These celebrated walks " accompany the bending of the stream, and command several interesting peeps at the city, and its august ornaments, the Castle and Cathedral. The banks rocky and ab

rupt, on one hand, and sloping gently to the river on the other, darkened by a solemn depth of shade, sequestered and retired, in the immediate neighbourhood of a busy scene of society, afford a retreat of the most beautiful and agreeable nature. The variety of the scenes which they open also is remarkable; deep glades, and solemn dells; scarred rock, and verdant lawn; sylvan glades, and proud castellated edifices. From the elegant new bridge, the last-mentioned feature is seen to great effect; the Castle and Cathedral blend their battlements and turrets together, and rise with inconceivable majesty from the sacred groves which clothe their rocky foundations. The combination here of trees and buildings, water and rock, home sylvan scenery and fine distance, is at once beautiful and grand."*

The Bridge mentioned in the preceding extract, is an elegant structure, erected between the years 1772 and 1777, from the designs of Mr. George Nicholson, then architect to the Dean and Chapter, at whose expence it was built. The old bridge, which stood at some distance higher up the river, and was only of sufficient width for the crossing of foot passengers and horses, was carried away by a dreadful flood, that commenced on the afternoon of the sixteenth of November, 1771, and continued to rise till about one o'clock the next morning. By this time the body of water had become so immense, that the arches of Elvet Bridge, being partially choaked up with rubbish, would not admit of its flowing off; and its weight forced down a long wall nearly adjoining. The torrent, then rushing forward with increasing velocity, acquired such a vast impetus, that scarcely any thing could withstand its pressure. Four arches of the bridge were swept away, and all the lower buildings of the city, garden walls, &c. either destroyed, or left in a very ruinous condition. When the flood abated, in the course of the day, all the low lands about Houghall, Shincliffe, &c. were strewed with the carcases of drowned cattle, and the hedges covered with corn and hay, that had been washed down by the water; which rose eight feet, ten inches higher, than had ever been recorded in the annals of Durham.

* Warner's Northern Tour, Vol. I.

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scarcely