996 PICKERING. 



the said lordship for 10- rider of the forest for 

 3. The reader may form a correct idea by the 

 preceding description of fortified castles in ge- 

 neral, this having been one of that sort, and when 

 it was necessary defended in that manner. Till 

 lately an old chapel or chantry used as the mano- 

 rial court house was a great object of curiosity ; but 

 it has been lately modernized. This castle was 

 refounded or rebuilt in 1247. A very strong tower 

 at the north east extremity of the castle wall, has a 

 dungeon in the lower part of it, This tower ap. 

 pears to have communicated with the keep by a 

 covert way running up behind the wall. On the 

 east is a beautiful tower, probably that which Le 

 land calls Rosamond's tower;* and there is another 

 beyond the great gate, called the mill tower. These 

 towers are excellently built, and their upper sto- 

 ries neatly ornamented. Other towers were stand- 

 ing in Leland's time, one of which must have been 



* The castle standeth at an end of the town not far 

 from the parish church, on the brow of the hill under 

 which the brook runneth. In the first court of it are four 

 towers, of which one is called Rosamond's tower In 

 the inner court are also four towers, of which the keep 

 is one. The castle walls and towers are neat. The 

 lodgings of the inner court are of timber, but in ruins. 

 In this court is a chapel, and a chantry priest. The cas- 

 tle, with the town and lordship, has long belonged to 

 the Lancaster family : but who built the castle, or who 

 was the owner of it before the Lancasters, I could not 

 learn. The castle walls seem not old. I heard say 

 Richard III. lay some time at Pickering castle, and 

 some time at Scarborough castle. The park by the 

 castle side is more than seven miles, but is not well 

 wooded. LELAND. It is thought the park was not 

 more than three miles* 



