248 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 10, 1878. 
made in the Standard of October Ist, that a gold and also a 
silver medal have been awarded to MEssrs. SUTTON & SONS, 
the Queen’s seedsmen, Reading, for their extensive museum of 
seeds, Grasses, models, &c., at the Paris International Exhi- 
bition. Visitors will doubtless remember this fine display of 
horticultural and agricultural produce in the gallery of the 
English agricultural annexe, and it is very gratifying to find 
that in this department the great firm sustained their world- 
wide reputation. 
RABY CASTLE.—No. 1. 
RABY CASTLE, the seat of the Duke of Cleveland, is situated 
in the southern division of the county of Durham—a county 
rich in coal, and rich also in historic associations. There is, 
perhaps, no place more replete with all that is interesting to 
the visitor than the proud baronial residence of Raby. Whether 
the visitor be a poet, novelist, or artist, and imbued with 
ae spirit of study, he will find much to awaken his interest 
there. 
Raby Castle stands near the ancient village of Staindrop, 
and Barnard Castle is also adjacent. Staindrop was a village 
of great repute in the time of Canute, whilst a college was 
erected there in 1378 by a licence granted by Bishop Hatfield 
to Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. Here in the church 
are buried many members of this ancient family, ‘Staindrop 
is only one mile from Raby, 
“Staindrop, who from her sylvan bowers 
Salutes proud Raby’s battled towers.” 
On approaching from Staindrop the scenery is very fine. 
There are four approaches to the Castle through the park, in 
which is some magnificent timber. 
The Castle itself is a pile of stately towers, and conveys to 
the visitor a most impressive idea of a great baronial palace in 
the feudal ages. It is surrounded with a parapet and em- 
brasured wall, together with a deep fosse, in which there used to 
Fig. 43.—RABY CASTLE—NORTH-EAST SIDE. 
be a drawbridge to the then only entrance to the Castle. Here, 
some historians state, stood Canute’s mansion, which he yielded 
to the church of Durham. The beauty of the present building 
is due to John de Neville, who in 1379 obtained a licence to 
“make a castle of his manor of Raby, and to embattle and 
crenulate its towers.’ Into the inner area of the Castle there 
are two entrances, the most ancient one being from the west, 
which consists of a double way, square towers, and a portcullis 
let down before each gate in time of danger. The style of 
architecture is pure Gothic, which is still retained in all its 
pristine character. All repairs that are executed are done in 
unison with that style. Mr. Grosse says this Castle, ‘with 
its nearly circular terraces enclosed within a military wall, 
measures nearly two acres, and the immense demesne to 
exceed thirty miles in length.” The south front is very 
beautiful, but the east front, with its lofty and embattled 
towers, presents a most imposing appearance. 
The interior of the Castle is equally imposing. The entrance 
haH is very large, and is constructed so that carriages can drive 
in—we believe the only castle in England that contains such 
an arrangement. A flight of steps from the hall conducts to 
the presence chamber. The great baronial hall is very antique 
and of great extent, being 120 feet long by 36 broad. “Here 
assembled in the time of the Nevilles seven hundred knights 
who held of that family.’’ Many of the rooms present modern 
improvement, due regard having been paid to sanitary and 
acoustic properties. The Castle abounds in pictures—paint- 
ings by most renowned ancient; and modern masters. Many 
of them are portraits, representing personages of this ancient 
family. Statuary, articles of vertu, old china, &c., also abound 
there. The ancient writer Leland in speaking of this Castle 
says, “ Raby is the largest castel of loggingers in all the north 
countery; ther belong three parkes to Raby, whereof two be 
plenished with dere.” 
The origin of the owners of Raby is of great antiquity, 
and many of the members of the family haye attained 
historic celebrity, some of them having been famous as 
warriors, whilst others have ranked high as eminent politi- 
cians. Ralph Neville, born at Raby, was Lord Chancellor to 
King Richard III. This family assumed the name of Neville 
through marriage with the Nevilies of Brancepeth, whose large 
estates they obtained, the head of the family being raised to 
the Earl of Westmoreland. The title, according to Dugdale, 
became extinct with the sixth earl, who died in exile. The 
estates became confiscated, and were placed in the hands of 
some citizens of London in trust to be sold, and were pur- 
