136 peverel's castle in the peak. 



owners appear to have spared no expense in maintaining its 

 structure and increasing its importance. 



Mr. C. E. Hartshorne, Mr. St. John Hope, Mr. Yeatman, 

 and other antiquaries, have unearthed from the Pipe Rolls 

 many interesting items of expenditure on the defences of the 

 Castle. During the reign of Henry H. more than ;£282 (equal 

 in our money to about ;£4,20o) viras spent on new buildings 

 and repairs, of which sum ^i^S (about ;^2,ooo) was spent 

 upon the keep alone. Nor was this purposeless expenditure. 

 The Peak Forest, which abounded in deer, wolves, and wild 

 boars, was a favourite hunting-ground of the Plantagenet Kings, 

 who in the intervals of the chase caroused in the gloomy hall 

 of the Castle.* 



We find entries in the Rolls for vdne and provisions for 

 the King and his royal guest, Malcolm of Scotland, at various 

 times amounting to sums equal to one thousand pounds of 

 modern money. In the turbulent reign of King John the 

 Castle was further strengthened, ^80 (;^i,2oo) being expended 

 in repairs. During the troubles in the reign of Henry IH. 

 the Castle was held by the King and the barons in turn ; but 

 in the reign of the English Justinian it was firmly held in the 

 royal grasp, and was honoured on several occasions by the 

 presence of the King, who was the last of our monarchs to 

 chase the wolves and the deer through the Royal Forest of the 

 High Peak. 



Even in the rude age of the Plantagenets the Peak Castle 

 must have afforded but sorry lodgings. The hall, only twenty- 

 two feet by nineteen feet, must have been crowded to excess 

 by the King, his nobles, and their followers, although no 

 doubt the bulk of the retinue, with the huntsmen, horses, and 

 dogs, were quartered in the village of Castleton, which nestled 

 at the foot of the Castle hill. The village was itself protected 



* There are entries in the Forest Rolls dated 1255-6 of a colt strangled 

 by wolves in Edale, and two sheep in another place. The Peak Forest 

 abounded in red deer and roe deer, wild boars and wild cats. Otters 

 were killed in the rivers, and "cornilus," whatever these were, possibly 

 wild goats, appear to have been numerous. 



