MELANDRA CASTLE. 



91 



north-east is the wooded top of Mouselow, a reputed stronghold 

 of the British ; while the east and south-east again are hemmed 

 in by the fastnesses that lie away towards the Peak, and so much 

 abound in traces of the earlier inhabitants. The Romans chose, 



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as the site for their fortress, a piece of land almost under 

 shadow of these heights, where a gentle slope from the south 

 breaks away steeply toi the junction of two streams. The 

 position was thus naturally defended on the one hand and some- 



