122 THE CASTLE OF THE PEAK, AND THE PIPE ROLLS. 



Thus it came to pass that William Peverel built his Castle of the 

 Peak, apparently on an entirely new site, as there are no signs of 

 earlier works. It was, however, a building of a purely military 

 character, intended to shelter only a small garrison, and probably 

 consisted merely of a curtain wall of stone round the top of the 

 hill, with lodgings within for the defenders. 



On Peverel's death, which took place about 1114, all his vast 

 possessions passed to his son, William Peverel the younger. What 

 was done to the Castle of the Peak during the latter's tenure is not 

 known. In 1115, according to Matthew Paris and Ralph de 

 Diceto, Peverel was disinherited by the king for poisoning Ranulph 

 earl of Chester, and all his estates and possessions were forfeited 

 to the Crown. 



From this date the history of the Castle of the Peak may be 

 easily followed from the entries relating to it on the Pipe Rolls. 



The first undoubted entry relating to it is in the 3rd of Henry 

 11- (1157)— 



In liberatione ij vigilum et portarii de Pech, iiii h. et x^. 



That is " in payment of 2 watchmen and the porter of the Peak, 

 £a I OS." 



This annual charge continues for a long series of years, even 

 after the castle had been strengthened by the addition of the keep 

 and other works. 



In the same year (1157) the king himself was at the Castle of 

 the Peak, where he received the submission of Malcolm, King of 

 Scotland. 



The sheriff's expenses are duly entered on the Pipe Roll — 



In adquietatione Corredii Regis apud Pech per Nigellutn de Broc. x.ti. et 

 xviaf. Et in adquietatione Corredii Regis Scotie de Notingheham et de Pech. 

 xxxvii.ti. et xiij. et \\\d. per breve Regis. Et in Soltis pro vino apud Pech 

 Ixxiij'. per breve Regis. 



In plain English, the king's board and lodging cost ^10 is. 4d. ; 

 that of the king of Scotland here and at Nottingham cost 

 ;;^37 I2S. 3d. ; and the bill for the wine provided for the occasion 

 at the Peak castle was 72s. 



