British Castles: Or, A Compendious History of the Ancient Military Structures of Great Britain

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Howlett and Brimmer, 1825 - 72 pages

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Page 11 - And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal.
Page 26 - After I had been there myself to direct the building of it, did I cause my old decayed Castle of Brougham to be repaired, and also the tower called the Roman Tower, in the said old Castle, and the Court-house, for keeping my Courts in, with some dozen or fourteen rooms to be built in it upon the old foundation.
Page 36 - ... the castle. Adjoining to this tower is a strong vaulted guard-room. " The walls enclose an irregular polygon, whose area contains about two acres.
Page 58 - When it was in a perfect state, it consisted of an outer ballium, or envelope, surrounded by a broad ditch flanked by several round towers; and it had on the east side an advanced work, called the gunner's walk; within these was the body of the castle, which was nearly square, having a round tower at each angle, and another in the centre of each face. The area is a square with the corners cut off, and measures about sixty yards on each side. In the middle of the north side is the hall, which is twenty...
Page 25 - Robert, built the greatest part of this castle next unto the east, where he caused his own arms, together with those of his wife Maud Beauchamp, daughter of the earl of Warwick, to be cut in stone. There is a pond called Maud's pond, which bears her name to this day. By an inquisition after her death, in the 4th Hen.
Page 30 - The ecclesiastics in that age had renounced all immediate subordination to the magistrate: they openly pretended to an exemption in criminal accusations from a trial before courts of justice ; and were gradually introducing a like exemption in civil causes...
Page 25 - The lower apartment in the principal tower still remains entire, being a squnrc of twenty feet, covered with a vaulted roof of stone, consisting of eight arches, of light and excellent workmanship. The groins are ornamented with various grotesque heads, and supported in the centre by an octagon pillar, about four feet in circumference, with a capital and base of Norman architecture. In the centre of each arch rings are fixed, as if designed for lamps to illuminate the vault. From the construction...
Page 44 - ... for the loud noise of their instruments, horns, buisines, and trumpets ; insomuch that they made the sea-shore resound with them." If the historian FROISSART may be credited, RICHARD did not experience ingratitude from man alone : for his very dog deserted him. and fawned on his rival, BOLINGBROKE, as if he understood and predicted the misfortunes of his old master. The story is so singular that we shall relate it in the words of Froissart's noble translator, Sir John Bourchier, LORD BERNERS,...
Page 37 - ... only twenty-one inches above ground. The bottom of this place is extremely rough ; and in the north-west corner is a well, or spring, which must have added greatly to the natural dampness of the place, to which there is no other air or light, but what is admitted through a small window at the east end. . " About the middle of the area, a little to the north of the churches of St.
Page 30 - ... maintained that no greater punishment could be inflicted on him than degradation : and when the king demanded, that immediately after he was degraded he should be tried by the civil power...

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