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attempts of demolition in 1645 and exhibits such marvellous. 
cohesiveness of good mortar, is a fine work of Edward I. The- 
miserable King Edward II. was a prisoner here in 1326, and 
was removed by his keeper, Sir John Matravers, hence to Berkeley 
Castle to be murdered on September 21st. From this time to- 
the reign of Edward VI., 1547, the annals of the Castle were very 
uneventful, but this King granted it to his uncle the Duke of 
Somerset, and on the Duke’s attainder it reverted to the Crown 
and was granted by Queen Elizabeth to her favourite Sir 
Christopher Hatton. In A.D. 1635, it was purchased by Lord 
Chief Justice Sir John Banks, whose descendants still possess it. 
Under Lady Banks in 1643 it sustained the ever memorable siege 
of six weeks against Sir Walter Erle and 600 rebels and 150: 
marines from Poole. Lady Banks, her daughters, women, and 
five soldiers defended the inner ward, Capt. Lawrence and about 
80 men the two outer, and on August 4th, 1643, delivered the 
Castle with the loss of only two men. They had killed and 
wounded in the siege and assault over 100 men of the enemy. 
The siege was raised by Sir W. Erle on an alarm being raised that 
the Earl of Caernarvon was at hand with the Royal troops. Two. 
years later Col. Bingham took the Castle after a gallant defence 
through the treachery of Lieut.-Col. Pitman, who admitted a troop. 
of the besiegers in disguise, and it was subseqnently “slighted” 
by order of Parliament. 
The present town of Corfe is built entirely out of the materials. 
of the overthrown Castle, except the Tower of the Church, 
which is ancient. It had the privilege of returning two 
Members of Parliament up to the first Reform Bill. Sir C. 
Hatton obtained all the rights of a Cinque Port from Queen 
Elizabeth, besides other liberties, and it was incorporated in 
1576 with a Mayor and eight Barons, who must have borne 
the office of Mayor. The constituency of voters paying scot 
and lot numbered 80. After 1832 it returned one M.P-. 
conjointly with Wareham and Bere Regis, and since 1867 is 
merged in East Dorset. 
