stated by Camden, who ascribes it, "on report," to the time of William the Conqueror.

Knaresborough castle was placed on a natural elevation, precipitous in one part, and affording great facilities of security in others. The shape of the keep was an oblong square, having, at one angle, a tower, which exhibits outwardly a circular form; and, at another, a tower, of flat and square proportions. The wall, even in the weakest part, is about ten feet thick; and the angular towers are evidently intended for deceptions, and are entirely solid. On one front is a lofty pointed aperture, which was much enriched, and is, by some examiners, supposed to have been a window, but which Mr. King believes to have formed the grand way of entrance.* In the disposal of the principal rooms of the keep there are not any peculiarities, except such as arise from local circumstances. But it may be observed that they were of limited proportions,† and few in number, although there is reason to believe that they were richly ornamented, from “the remains of an exceeding fine arched roof of stone-work."

Beeston Castle, noticed in the Beauties for Cheshire,‡ is sup~ posed to present a further example of castellated buildings constructed in the reign of Henry the Third; but is now in a ruinous condition. This was a massy and extensive pile, erected, as is believed, about the year 1220, by Randle Blundeville, Earl of Chester. The fortress was placed on the crest of a lofty insulated rock, and the mural lines enclosed an outer and an inner area, to the extent of "four or five acres." The outer wall was fortified by many round towers; and the entrance was guarded, on each side, by a tower, also of a circular form. Strong and judicious precautions of defence are evident in every division of

the

• Archæol. Vol. VI. p. 323, et seq.

+ "The second story was entirely taken up by the ante-chamber and stateroom, commonly called the king's chamber; each room appearing to have been about sixteen feet square." Beauties for Yorkshire, p. 639.

Beanties for Cheshire, p. 243.

the ponderous ruins; for the efforts of the architect appear to have been chiefly directed to military arrangement.

King Edward the First, undoubtedly one of the greatest monarchs that have filled the English throne, introduced to this country a new mode of castellated architecture, splendid and vast as his own comprehensive mind, and suited to that amelioration of manners which he appears to have cultivated with memorable success and lasting influence. This grand style of military architecture involves, in the original design of the fortification, those numerous apartments which in earlier periods were independent of the embattled works, and were raised, like tents or huts within lines of Roman castrametation,—not defensible in themselves, and probably intended to be demolished by the garrison, on the occurrence of a close siege.

Instances of this more refined and superior mode of building, in which the fortress and the palace are united in one systematie and extensive erection, are conspicuous in the castles of Caer narvon and Conway,-those formidable, yet splendid, structures, which were once the terror of the Welsh, and now afford them cause of admiration. Once the badges of subjugation, they now stand the venerable monuments of a union of interests, conducive to the happiness of both countries. The general character of these august fabrics is too well known to render a description of their qutlines, or their peculiarities of internal disposition, necessary in the present place.* It is more desirable to trace the effect of such royal examples on the taste of the nation at large, as evinced in the construction of private baronial dwellings.

Edward the First granted to many of his subjects a licence to embattle their seats of residence; and the increasing security, sociability, and polish of the times, caused his mode of architec

ture

A description of Conway castle is presented in Vol. XVII. of the Beauties of England and Wales, p. 466; and of Caernarvon castle, Vol. XVII. p. $53.

be nationally adopted. After the date of this reign we do not find the Norman inethods of castellation in use, or even that mixed and irregular style which succeeded to the manner introduced in the ages of William the First, and his regal successor. A gloomy and massive keep, whether insulated near the centre of multiplied mural lines, or placed boldly in the range of the works which protected the base-court, no longer constitutes the principal feature of a castle. In imitation of the great Welsh castles of Edward the First, the English baron now endeavoured to unite comparative grandeur and convenience of domestic arrangement, with fortified security. His efforts were at first rude; but they slowly moved forwards in improvement through the two next reigns; in the latter of which this combination of martial outline and interior splendour was carried to a magnificent height, and to the utmost point of perfection which it ever attained in this country.

It has been already sufficiently shewn, that, in the present dilapidated state of castellated buildings, it is very difficult to select a satisfactory example of the style of any determinate era. When such structures were forsaken as habitations, all records concerning their original were usually disregarded by their respective proprietors; and, where the history of a building has been partially preserved, we often find such massy piles, when not raised for the purpose of immediate defence, to have been the work of different generations, and to display in their several parts a consequent mixture of fashions. But the castle of Harewood, in Yorkshire, will probably be received as a fair specimen of the general character of English castles erected in the time of Edward the First.

On the site of the present ruined structure there stood, unquestionably, a castle in more ancient times; and some part of the walls of such a former building may be still remaining; but we have good reasons for believing that, with such exceptions, the whole of the edifice, in its present form, was built about the 2 E time

time of Edward the First, although not internally completed till the reign of Edward the Third.*

The ruins of Harewood castle are situated on a lofty natural hill; and it does not appear that there were any lines of fortification beyond the buildings intended for residence. This structure was quite irregular in shape, and occupied a large plot of ground. The grand entrance was through two portals, sufficiently lofty to admit a man on horseback, and guarded by vast portcullises. There was not any area, or court, within the structure, the whole of the ground-plan being occupied by apartments, the principal of which were of spacious proportions. At two of the angles were oblong towers, each having four apartments, one above another, provided with a fire-place and a window. Within the substance of one part of the castle-walls are seen galleries, like those of Bishop Gundulph's towers; and in another part occur wells or cavities, supposed to have been designed for the conveyance of military engines and stores to the upper division of the works. But, whilst noticing these latter particulars, it must not be forgotten that some parts of the walls were probably constructed at a period much earlier than the reign of Edward the First, although it is believed that a new form, and that which is still denoted by ruinous outlines, was then bestowed on the building.t

This mode of castellation, which emanated from the ruling genius on the throne, was happily suited to the wishes of ages immediately succeeding. The progress of refinement in domestic manners, so often impeded in the earlier stages of history by a want of security against foreign assault, and by the constitutional weakness of the governing power, was henceforwards slow but certain; and met with no interruption, except such as was produced by civil contests, which were, in the greater part, not agitated

See Archæol. Vol. VI. p. 329.-The castle of Harewood is briefly noticed in the Beauties for Yorkshire, p. 718-720.

+ A second specimen of the style introduced by Edward the First, is men. tioned in the Beauties for Lincolnshire, p. 754.

agitated on a public principle, but were rather struggles arising from private interests and prejudices.

Numerous buildings were altered during the reigns of Edward the First, and his successor, in attention to the noble fashion introduced by the former king. Many such instances may occur to the examiner; and the confusion of modes, arising from the existence, in the same structure, of the Norman keep, and those convenient towers and inner halls, which were first blended with a fortification in the time of this great sovereign, will cause some perplexity, unless it be remembered that such alterations are known to have been frequent, and probably were much more usual than has been authenticated.

In the reign of Edward the Third, the castellated edifices of this country made a still nearer approach to the character of the modern palace and mansion. The chivalric exercises of the lists were now followed by the courtly dance and domestic pageant. The buildings intended for the residence of the king and his nobles, were, accordingly, rendered suitable to such habits. The apartments used for stately retirement and pompous recreation were increased and enlarged, while the fortified parts would sometimes appear to be designed for defence against a sudden assault, rather than a regular siege.*

The improvements which gradually took place in the interior of castles, are briefly noticed by several modern writers, drawing their intel ligence from ancient authorities. Mr. Dallaway (Observations on English Architecture, p. 100-101.) observes that " during the middle centuries after the Conquest, when the plans of mere defence were rendered subservient to those of comfortable habitation within the walls of a castle, a certain degree of splendour in the internal decoration and furniture soon followed.

"The walls of the state chambers were covered with wainscot, painted in fresco upon the pannels, or hung with arras or tapestry. in the numerous castellated palaces of our early sovereigns, were apartments so ornamented, as is clearly shown in ancient evidences. At Warwick was a memorable suit

of