290 PICKERINft. 



mains of feudal grandeur, here we see what has 

 been, and stand astonished when we view this place 

 once so strong and powerful now nearly demolished ; 

 but it is dignified even in its ruins. 



It is well known that castles were built in this 

 kingdom at a very early date ; but the greater part 

 of them were erected after the Norman conquest. 

 Willium,to awe his newly acquired subjects, began 

 to erect castles all over the kingdom ; and as he 

 had parcelled out the lands of those English gentle- 

 men, (who held out against him, or left the country,) 

 amongst his followers, they to protect themselves 

 from the resentment of those so despoiled, built 

 castles on their estates. The commotions in the 

 kingdom in the following reigns, served to increase 

 them ; every baron or leader of a party building a 

 castle. At the end of the reign. of Stephen, the 

 number of castles in this country, amounted to 1,115. 

 As the feudal system gathered strength, those cas- 

 tles became the heads of baronies ; each castle was 

 a manor, and the owner the lord of it, and markets 

 and fairs were ordered to be held there. 



The lords of these castles began to arrogate the 

 royal power, not only within their fortified resi- 

 dences, but in their environs also, exercising judi- 

 cature both civil and criminal ; coining of money, 

 and abitrarily seizing forage and provisions for the 

 support of their garrisons, which they afterwards 

 demanded as a right. At length their insolence 

 and oppression grew to such a height, that accord- 

 ing to William of Newburgh, there were in England 

 as many kings, or rather tyrants, as lords of castles. 



