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Arrived at St. Briavels they were met by the Rector, the 
Rey. Tarretn Aten, who conducted them over the church 
and the ruins of the castle. Alas! the church had been what 
is called “‘restored”’ in 1830, when the old Norman tower was 
pulled down, and a modern structure erected in its stead. 
The Warren tomb represented in Bretanp was’ seen in ruins. 
Enough however remains of the earlier fabric to cause the 
beholder to regret that modern restorers had not withheld their 
hands from introducing their paltry windows among the stone- 
work of better architects than themselves. Notwithstanding 
modern interpolations the Norman relics still left’ are very 
interesting. There are Norman piers and arches on the south 
side of the chancel, with the original Norman clerestory. The 
Early English arches of the side aisles still remain; and among 
a heap of architectural and: monumental relics in the ‘south 
transept is preserved a very remarkable early coffin-lid, of stone, 
engraved with stiff-leaved foliage, and having a female head, 
in wimple and mentonniére, inserted in a different kind of stone. 
The castle of St. Briavels, or St. Brulais, was once of great 
importance in the Forest of Dean. It was never a large castle, 
as the moat which surrounded itis not more than 500 yards in 
circumference. The keep and the flanking towers fell in 1752 
and 1754, but some interesting ruins are still left, to attract 
_ the wandering antiquary. The castle is remarkable for the 
number of its portcullises, a form of defence well adapted'to 
keep out invaders, before the introduction of gunpowder; and 
an early chimney-piece, with brackets, rudely sculptured, is 
well deserving of attention. J 
The castle was founded by Mmo Frrzwatrer, in the days’ of 
Henry I. It was alike the seat of justice and a prison. Among 
its Constables we mark the names of Dp Crare and BratcHamp, 
Harl of Warwick. Another was Hucu Dusrenser, the unfor- 
tunate favorite of Epwarp the Second. Guipo bE Bryan, 
the standard-bearer at Cressy and Poitiers, whose effigy is in 
Tewkesbury Abbey, was Constable in the time of Epwarp III 
from whom he obtained for the inhabitants of St. Briavels 
exemption from “all toll, pontage, parage, and murage.” 
