Mr. Boulter also subsequently attempted to use the stone for building and repairing farm buildings, &c., but time had so compacted the mortar and cement, that the workmen soon desisted, finding they could procure the materials from the quarry at a much easier rate. Since this time the venerable old building has remained in statu quo, the walls remaining pretty entire, and forming an object of great beauty to the landscape, full of interest to the traveller and the antiquarian.

From its present remains the castle appears to have been in figure a right-angled parallelogram, having its sides in the direction of the cardinal points of the compass. Two lofty square towers on the S. E. and N. E. angles formed important appendages, both of these contained four storeys of rooms, the fire places and supports for the rafters being still discernible. These towers reached to a height of upwards of one hundred feet, commanding from their elevated position a most extensive look out, and doubtless built expressly for this purpose. Two other towers seem to have existed, one on the N. side, extending upwards from the entrance portal, and a corresponding one on the S. side, but these latter were not equal in height to the two former ones.

At present in their ruined state, these towers form no mean addition to the scenery of the valley, with the ivy of ages twisted round them to the very summit.

"Yet time the tyrant, though not moved to spare,
Relented when he struck their finished pride,

And partly the rude ravage to repair,

The tottering towers with twisted ivy tied."

It is generally supposed that it has never had a keep, a bailey, or outer gate, but has been left to the single defence of its own walls. These are certainly of a most formidable character, providing for the security of its inhabitants, but not adding much to their comfort. On the E. side, where it would be most exposed in the event of an attack, they are nine feet three inches thick, and in the less exposed parts they are from six to seven feet in thickness. The whole building, as it at present stands, is upwards of 100 feet long, and about 60 broad. Evidences, however, are not wanting in favour of the opposite opinion, that the original castle was not left to the defence of its own walls merely. Antiquarians who have visited it in modern times generally agree as to the existence, not only of some outer works, but considerable buildings in connection with it, and Jewel relates that Dr. Story, who visited it in 1790, pointed out many places which had formed parts of it, but were then in ruins and partially buried in the adjoining embankments.

The principal entrance, and in fact the only one, was upon the north side, leading from the level of the ground inwards into a grand portal, forming the basement of a tower. This portal was lofty enough for a man to enter upon horseback, and was defended by a vast portcullis* the groove for which still remains. Inside of this there was another formidable door, apparently of similar

For the information of those readers unacquainted with the nature and character of the porteullis, it may be well to explain that it was a strong grating of timber or iron, resembling a harrow, made to slide in vertical grooves, with sharp points at the bottom for the purpose of striking into the ground when it dropped, or destroying whatever it might fall upon.

dimensions and construction as the outer one.

This led

into the great hall, which some have imagined was divided into two rooms, but this I question for two reasons: 1st, there are no remains or evidences of a partition wall; and 2ndly, remnants of the stone seats are still existing the whole length of the room. I therefore conclude that this was in its entire length, the hall where the Lord of the Manor met his vassals and bondmen, and where he held his Court Leet and Court Baron. Bondgate still exists close to the castle, where the bondmen resided. There were three classes of these, bondmen, natives, and villains. Bondmen were those who bound themselves by a covenant to serve for a specified length of time; natives were those who were born bondmen; and the villains were such as belonged to the land and tilled the lord's demesnes, without having the power of leaving. Here they lived under the shadow and protection of the castle, enjoying the hospitality and bounty of their lord, occupied in tilling the land and other servile employments. During war they were engaged on military service, according to the custom of the feudal times. On the approach of danger, they fled to the castle for refuge, and here they led a merry life, even in the midst of danger.

In England some degree of slavery continued so late as the 16th century. A commission was issued by Queen Elizabeth in the year 1574, for enquiring into the lands and goods of all her bondmen and bondwomen, in order to compound with them for their manumission or freedom, that they might enjoy their own lands and goods as freemen.

This great hall was also a court of justice. The Lord of the Manor generally had the privilege of judging male

factors taken within his manor, and a gibbet and gallows for the execution of such offenders, were appendages to all large castles. Such was the case with Harewood Castle, and this is evidence of its importance and antiquity.

The place of execution was called Gallow Hill and is marked as such upon an old map in my possession. It stood adjoining the ruins of Stockton-town near to where the reservoir now is. Here many a poor criminal has suffered the extreme penalty of the law, before the power of hanging was taken away from the lords. Formerly there used to be, in connexion with most of these places of execution, a pit to drown the women thieves in. The laws and punishments were uncommonly severe in ancient times against stealing.

By one of the laws of Ina, a Saxon King, not only was the thief to be hanged, but if his family knew of the theft, they were all made slaves. The gibbet law which formerly existed, at Halifax and other places, by which "any person who stole cloth or any other commodity of the value of thirteen pence halfpenny, should, after the lapse of three market days, be taken to the gibbet, and there have his head cut off from his body," is a remnant of the ancient jurisdiction exercised by the Lord of the Manor, and existed there so late as the year 1650, when two criminals were executed. This privilege of executing felons by Lords of Manors was not taken away by any statute, but was lost by desuetude, on itinerant judges being appointed to take circuits, and dispense justice periodically through the kingdom.