CULLING. 399 



rish, The remainder so nearly worn 



out as to have become illegible. 



Gilling castle, which stands upon a commanding 

 eminence, on the west side of the village, formerly 

 belonged to the family of the Mowbrays, but has 

 now been long in the possession of the ancient 

 family of the Fairfaxes ;* an ancestor of whom, 

 Thomas Fairfax, obtained this castle and estate 7 

 of Henry VII., in consequence of his marriage with 

 Elizabeth Etton. Drake. 



The present castle has been built at different 

 periods : the most ancient part is the eastern end, 

 which is circular, and commands the vale below. 

 The rest is of a comparatively recent date, and more 

 in the style of a modern mansion. In this castle a 

 singular record is extant of the gentry in this coun- 

 ty, in the beginning of the reign of queen Elizabeth. 

 In the upper part of the pannels in the wainscot of 

 the great dining room, are painted armorial trees, 

 bearing the arms of each family in every wapentake 

 in this county, at that period ; one wapentake occu- 

 pying each pannel ; all of which, together with the 

 beautiful finishing, wainscotting, ceiling, and car- 

 ving of the whole room, are still in excellent preser- 



* The ancient family of Fairfax are of Saxon origin, 

 the name being a compound Saxon word signifying Fair 

 locks or Fair head of hair, and Fair from Fax, a lock 

 of hair. One of the last representatives of the Gilling 

 branch of that family, the Hon. Mrs. Ann Fairfax, (for 

 the present proprietor took the name of Fairfax on suc- 

 ceeding to the estate) was a remarkable instance of the 

 family still retaining this distinguishing mark of the 

 ancestors, and of the propriety of the appellation Fairfax* 



The family motto is "Fare Fac.'^ 



