67 



The second castle was begun by Thomas, First Earl of 

 Rutland in 1 526, and completed by Henry, the second earl, 

 1555; a quantity of timber from Belvoir Priory, Croxton 

 Abbey and Thurgarton Priory was used in this building. A 

 picture in needlework, inscribed " Bever Castle 1 632," is still 

 preserved this was copied from an old map at Grove ; this 

 building was demolished after the Parliamentary Wars, in 

 1 649, by an order in Council. 



The third castle was finished in 1 668, under John, eighth 

 Earl of Rutland. A model of this building is still preserved 

 and various prints are still extant. These show the castle 

 occupying the top of a conical shaped hill. Early in the 

 19th century this state of comparative isolation was consider- 

 ably modified by joining the two hills together at the junction 

 of the four roads, on the S.W. side of the Castle, to enable 

 carriages to drive up to the door. Previous to this being 

 done a public road went between the two hills. This 

 building was demolished at the beginning of the 19th 

 century. 



The fourth and present building was commenced in the 

 year 1801 by John Henry, Fifth Duke of Rutland, and in 

 1816, when nearing completion, a large portion was destroyed 

 by fire, but building proceeded again after this until the 

 present structure was completed. The Duchess Elizabeth, 

 wife of the Fifth Duke, was largely responsible for the 

 design, which has been much criticised by various architects 

 owing to the mixture of different styles of architecture. To 

 the unprofessional observer it forms a very beautiful picture 

 when seen from a short distance ; it crowns a very steep hill 



