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down , and the tower being somewhat shattered thereby , the top part was pulled down , and made up with small , irregular , mean pinnacles , pediments , and ballisters , most improperly placed round it , and so left , carried up only a little higher than the old tower , in no order or style of architecture correspondent to any other parts of the
fabric ; notwithstanding there were considerable sums raised towards rebuilding it . " Unhappily , this bad taste has extended itself to the modern church , which boasts a set of unmeaning battlements , and four still more absurd pseudo-gothic pinnacles , which merely detract from the lofty and handsome spire that forms a landmark to all the surrounding
neighbourhood , and which , elevated on the ancient Castle Hill , by an optical illusion appears to be of a far greater height , as viewed from Wells-street or from the old Castle mill ( mentioned in Domesday Book , but whose site is now occupied by a more modern-built mill ) , an illusion increased by the numerous trees that surround it , and which give us a fine idea of the old hill , when it boasted a castle and ramparts , doubtless inferior to those of grass-grown Old Sarum , but far too spacious in their extent to have' ever been trivial or unim-Dortant .
Let us say a few words about the old Castle , touching which our antiquarian observes , that " none of our histories inform us when it was built ; or how , or when it was suffered to go to ruin . " It is , however , fairly supposed to have been erected by Walter Gifford , first earl of Buckingham , and to have been built upon the fortress raised by Edward the Elder , 918 . Hence , it was doubtless made the capital
or the barony . As the privileges attached to fortresses gradually fell off , we find the old castle reduced to a farm-house , a bowling-alley , and a sort of assize-hall ; while the few remains which bore the name of Chapelend , at the north corner of the hill next to Castle-street , have been pulled down since seventy years past . The county gaol , a building
in the castellated style , is but a poor and ill-situated structure ; but , we suspect , quite strong enough for its purpose . To the right-hand side of the gaol , a rather picturesque , though humble , pile of buildings forms Christ ' s Hospital , an alms-house , said to have been founded upon the ruins of the ancient hospital of St . Lawrence , which dated back as early as a . d . 1312 . Our industrious informant , Willis , tells us that " there are seven ancient
women resident there , being as many as the same will hold , and the revenues cannot keep more , and they are governed by the direction of the governors , and do receive the revenues ; there being only paid out of it a small quit-rent to the lord of the manor , of whom the house is holden . There may be thirty-six persons by the charter ,
in case of an house to entertain them and maintenance to keep them . There are no statutes , orders , or rules , but what are at the discretion of the governors thereof . " See a grant of Queen Elizabeth ' s , quoted by Willis , p . 50 , in which the castle is granted to two brothers Grimston .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Untitled Article
down , and the tower being somewhat shattered thereby , the top part was pulled down , and made up with small , irregular , mean pinnacles , pediments , and ballisters , most improperly placed round it , and so left , carried up only a little higher than the old tower , in no order or style of architecture correspondent to any other parts of the
fabric ; notwithstanding there were considerable sums raised towards rebuilding it . " Unhappily , this bad taste has extended itself to the modern church , which boasts a set of unmeaning battlements , and four still more absurd pseudo-gothic pinnacles , which merely detract from the lofty and handsome spire that forms a landmark to all the surrounding
neighbourhood , and which , elevated on the ancient Castle Hill , by an optical illusion appears to be of a far greater height , as viewed from Wells-street or from the old Castle mill ( mentioned in Domesday Book , but whose site is now occupied by a more modern-built mill ) , an illusion increased by the numerous trees that surround it , and which give us a fine idea of the old hill , when it boasted a castle and ramparts , doubtless inferior to those of grass-grown Old Sarum , but far too spacious in their extent to have' ever been trivial or unim-Dortant .
Let us say a few words about the old Castle , touching which our antiquarian observes , that " none of our histories inform us when it was built ; or how , or when it was suffered to go to ruin . " It is , however , fairly supposed to have been erected by Walter Gifford , first earl of Buckingham , and to have been built upon the fortress raised by Edward the Elder , 918 . Hence , it was doubtless made the capital
or the barony . As the privileges attached to fortresses gradually fell off , we find the old castle reduced to a farm-house , a bowling-alley , and a sort of assize-hall ; while the few remains which bore the name of Chapelend , at the north corner of the hill next to Castle-street , have been pulled down since seventy years past . The county gaol , a building
in the castellated style , is but a poor and ill-situated structure ; but , we suspect , quite strong enough for its purpose . To the right-hand side of the gaol , a rather picturesque , though humble , pile of buildings forms Christ ' s Hospital , an alms-house , said to have been founded upon the ruins of the ancient hospital of St . Lawrence , which dated back as early as a . d . 1312 . Our industrious informant , Willis , tells us that " there are seven ancient
women resident there , being as many as the same will hold , and the revenues cannot keep more , and they are governed by the direction of the governors , and do receive the revenues ; there being only paid out of it a small quit-rent to the lord of the manor , of whom the house is holden . There may be thirty-six persons by the charter ,
in case of an house to entertain them and maintenance to keep them . There are no statutes , orders , or rules , but what are at the discretion of the governors thereof . " See a grant of Queen Elizabeth ' s , quoted by Willis , p . 50 , in which the castle is granted to two brothers Grimston .