I32‘ L A N C A 
tided wails; and on the oppofite fide is a large fquare keep, 
the walls of which are of amazing thicknefs, and its apart¬ 
ments of grand dimenfions. One of the rooms is nearly 
fixty feet long, by about thirty in width. The floors are 
arched, and covered with compofition, forming flat fur- 
faces. From the fummit of this tower, the views are very 
grand and impiefiive. To the north of the keep are the 
lhire-hall and county-courts, with fevefal apartments and 
offices connected with them. The grand-jury room here, 
and lhire-hall, are peculiarly elegant and novel; the firft 
being of circular form, and the fecond being femi-circu- 
lar ; but both finifhed with cluftered columns, panelling, 
tracery, &c. partly in imitation of the elegant eccleiiafti- 
cal architecture of the fifteenth century. Over the judges’ 
feats are two full-length portraits of the county members, 
by Mr. Allen; and a full-length of George III. on horfe- 
back, by Northcote. This grand and fpacious pile of 
buildings, whether viewed as an ancient baronial fortrefs, 
as a pifturefque objeCf, or as a fuite of public ftruCfures 
•for the gaol and courts of the county, mult demand our 
admiration. On an eminence near it is the parilh-church, 
a fpacious building, with a lofty tower, which ferves as 
a land-mark for vefl'els coming up the river. At the eaft 
end of the church is a wooden fcreen moft elegantly 
carved. Among the monuments, is one by Roubiliac, 
for William Stratford, LL. D. In the church-yard is the 
fhaft of a (tone crofs, with carving, and an infcription in 
Runic letters. 
The other public edifices of this town, are a town-hall, 
a chapel of eafe to the parilh-church, a theatre, an af- 
fembly-room, a range of fliambles, a Quakers’ meeting- 
houfe, and chapels for Prelbyterians, Independents, and 
Methodifts. An ancient bridge, now in ruins, con¬ 
nected the oppofite (hores of the. Lune, near St. George's 
Quay ; but the increafing opulence and population of the 
town rendered a new and more commodious one neceflary. 
This was ereCted from the extremity of Cable-ftreet to 
Skerton, at an expenfe of nearly 12,000]. paid by the 
county. The length of this fuperb ItruCfure is 54.9 feet; 
the arches, five in number, are equal and elliptical. 
Among other benevolent inftitutions in this town are fe- 
veral alms-houfes for men and women, a free-fchool for 
the education of fixty boys, and two charity-fchools for 
fifty boys and forty girls. The manufactories of the 
town are inconfiderable, and chiefly confilt of cabinet¬ 
making, fpinning of twine, cotton-printing, and weav¬ 
ing of fail-cloth. Ship-building Jias been greatly encou¬ 
raged, and many large vefl'els conftruCted, particularly by 
Mr. Brookbank, who has fent fliips, launched at his 
dock-yard, to London, of 450 tons burthen. Lancafler 
trades to America with hard-ware and woollen manufac¬ 
tures ; and a confiderable quantity of candles is exported 
to the Weft Indies; forty or fifty Ihips trade alfo to Nor¬ 
way. It appears, from the Cuftom-houfe entries, that in 
the year 1799 fifty-two vefl'els cleared out for the Weft 
Indies, with cargoes to the value of two millions and half 
pounds fterling. The Cuftom-houfe is a fmall neat build¬ 
ing, with a portico fupported by four Ionic columns, fif¬ 
teen feet in height, each a Angle ftone. The Town-hall 
is a large commodious edifice ; in the council room is a 
full-length portrait of lord Nelfon', painted by Mr. Lonf- 
dale, an arlift of talents, who is a native of this town. 
He prefented it to the corporation, who have alfo a fimi- 
lar portrait of Mr. Pitt. 
In the return to parliament in the year 1801, Lancafter 
is Itated to contain 1611 houfes, and 9030 inhabitants. 
Markets are held on Wednelday and Saturday ; and here 
are three annual fairs. 
The borough of Lancafter originated from a grant, 
made in the 4th of Richard I. and members were firft lent 
to parliament 23 Edward I. Returns were alfo made at 
various periods in the two fucceeding reigns ; after which 
there were none till the reign of Edward VI. when the 
privilege was reftored. The corporation is compofed of 
a mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen, two bailiffs, twelve 
S T E Pi. 
capital burgefles, twelve common burgefles, a town-clerk, 
and two ferjeants. By the charter, freemen only have a 
vote; but the molt glaring corruption lies in making thofe 
freemen. A freeman’s Ion, or a freeman’s apprentice, 
within the borough, is entitled to take up his freedom 
whenever he pleafes, on paying into the hands of the mayor 
or bailiff il. 7s. 6d. This fum is moft generally paid by 
the oppofing candidate, and the greateft number of free¬ 
men, thus made, turns the fcale of the eleftion. Hence, 
as fhip-building and the cabinet-bufinefs are the only ma¬ 
nufactories there, he who has moft fhips to build or repair, 
or he who will lay out a few hundreds in mahogany fur¬ 
niture, is moft likely to carry his election. The journey¬ 
men are at the command of their mafters; they get in¬ 
toxicated during the canvas; and, having ten (hillings to 
eat and drink on the day of election, they give a Ihout, 
and go quietly to work again. 
By means of inland navigation, Lancafter has commu¬ 
nication with the rivers Merfey, Dee, Ribble, Oufe, Trent, 
Darwent, Severn, Humber, Thames, Avon, See. although 
fuch extenfive communication, when it was firft fuggefted, 
was confidered by many to be altogether impracticable. 
About one mile north-eaft of the town is a grand aque- 
duCt-bridge, which conveys the Lancafter canal over the 
river Lune. This ftupendous fabric was defigned and 
fuccefsfully executed by Mr. John Rennie, civil engineer, 
who has hereby difplayed much (kill and fcience in this 
and feveral other fimilar works. The bridge confifts of 
five circular arches, each of feventy feet fpan, rifing thir¬ 
ty-nine feet above the furface of the river. The peculiar 
difficulties which the architect had to encounter, in the 
bed of the river, made it neceflary to have a foundation, 
a flooring of timber, which alone coft 15,0001. The fu- 
perftruCture came to double that fum. 
Near Lancafter is Halton-hall the feat of W. B. Brad- 
fliaw, efq. and Halton-park, of Thomas Bateman, efq. 
The demefnes belonging to the manor confift of 130 acres 
tythe-free. It has a water corn-mill and a falmon-filhery in 
the riverLoyne; and agood common in the neighbourhood. 
At the three mile-ftone, on the road to Hornby, (fee 
vol. x.) there is a noble view of the vale of Lonfdale. 
To fee the view in perfection, you mull go into a field on 
the left; here Ingleborough, behind a variety of fmaller 
mountains, makes the back-ground of the profpeCt. On 
each hand of the middle diftance rife two hoping hills; 
the left clothed with thick woods, and the right with va¬ 
riegated rocks and herbage. Between them, in the richeft 
valleys, the Lune ferpentines for many miles, and comes 
forth ample and clear through a well-wooded and richly- 
paftured fore-ground; every feature which conftitutes a 
perfect landfcape of the extenfive fort is here, not only 
boldly marked, but alfo in its belt pofition. 
From Lancafter to Heft-bank is three miles. Set out 
with the Ulverftone carriers at the ftated hour, or take a 
guide for the fands that fucceed, called Lancafter Sands, 
and which are nine miles over. On a fine day there is 
not a more pleafant fea-fide journey in the kingdom. On. 
the right a bold fliore, deeply indented in fome places, 
and opening into bays in others 5 valleys that Itretch far 
into the country, bounded on each fide by hanging 
grounds cut into inclofures ; interfperfed with groves and 
woods; adorned with fequeftered cots, farms, villages, 
churches, and caftles ; mountains behind mountains, and 
others again juft leen over them, clofe the fore-fcene. 
Peel Caftle, the ancient bulwark of the bay, rears its ve¬ 
nerable head above the tide ; in front appears a fine (weep 
of country Hoping to the fouth ; to the right YVater-cragg 
prefents itfelf in a hold ftyle. On its arched fummit are 
the veftiges of a fquare encampment, and the ruins of a 
beacon. Thefe grounds, bearing from the eye for many 
miles, variegated in a very plealing form by woods and 
rocks, are terminated by cloud-topped Ingleborough. A 
little farther on the fame hand, another vale opens to the 
fands, and (hows a broken ridge of rocks, and beyond 
them groups of mountains towering to the iky. Caftle- 
fteads. 
