92 PICKERING. 



belonged to the barons, a great number were in 

 the possession of the crown ; some built by differ- 

 ent kings, and others possessed by forfeiture. King 

 William erected castles at Lincoln, Nottingham, 

 and Hastings. These castles belonging to the crown 

 were defended by persons who held their estates 

 by keeping guard in them. This mode was after- 

 wards changed for annual rents called guard-rents. 

 Such castles as were feudal property were guarded 

 by mercenary soldiers, or the tenants of their 

 owners. Those castles belonging to the crown, 

 in latter times, were generally committed to the 

 custody of some trusty person, styled governor, or 

 constable. Sometimes also they were put into the 

 possession of the sheriff of the county; who often 

 converted them into prisons. Pickering castle was 

 probably built after the conquest. The situations 

 of the castles of the Anglo-Norman kings and barons 

 were most commonly on eminences, and near rivers, 

 situations on many accounts eligible. The site of 

 one of those castles, which was frequently of great 

 extent, and of an irregular figure, was surrounded 

 by a deep and broad ditch, sometimes filled with 

 water and sometimes dry. This ditch was called 

 the foss. Before the great gate was an outwork 

 called a barbican, or antimural ; which was a strong 

 and high wall with turrets upon it, designed for the 

 defence of the gate and draw 'bridge. On the inside 

 of the ditch stood the wall of the castle, about 8 or 

 10 feet thick, and between 20 or 30 feet high ; with 

 a parapet and embrasures called crennels on the 

 top. On this wall at proper distances were square 



