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Gentleman's Magazine 1814 part 2 p.628
belonging to the Countess of Pembroke. This is the county
town, an extensive place, of very high antiquity, though
some doubts exist about its ever having been a Roman town,
which many assert; but no fragments of this kind ever having
been found it rests upon mere conjecture. The Countess
herself believed the keep of the Castle to be of Roman
construction; but there is no appearance of any such
character. It may probably claim a date as early as the
Conquest, which the general form and circular arches induce
us to believe is near the time of its erection. It has
received the appelation of Caesar's Tower, but from what
circumstance is not exactly known. It has a square turret at
each angle, rising above the battlements, terminated by a
leaden cupola and vane, is surrounded by a high rampart
wall, extending Eastward a considerable length, with two
bastions; the North has one bastion and the entrance
gateway. In the East and part of the North side are the
dwelling buildings, which have been much altered from their
original state. The whole of this is encompassed and farther
protected by a deep foss, which in addition to its lofty
situation must have rendered it a very formidable place of
defence. The quantity of ground in the Castle Park,
including the Castle, &c. is twenty-two acres and eight
perches. The whole is now finely wooded; and the beautiful
river Eden, flowing under the steep declivity towards the
East, renders the scene particularly grand. Towards the
North end of the town stands the Church, dedicated to St.
Laurence, near an old bridge of two arches, at the West end
of which was formerly a small Chapel, likewise dedicated to
that Saint. The Church is large, having a long body of three
aisles, a small chancel, a low tower embattled at the West
end, and a porch on the South side. Great part of the Church
was rebuilt by the Countess in the year 1659, and a vault
made during her lifetime near the North-east angle of the
chancel. On the North wall is her monument of black marble,
on which are distributed twenty-four shields bearing arms,
the pedigree of her illustrious family. In the base is this
inscription:
'Here lyes expecting yr second comeinge of our Lord and
Savious Jesus Christ, ye dead body of ye Lady Anne Clifford,
daughter and sole-heire to George Clifford, third Earl of
Cumberland, by his blessed wife Margaret Russell, Countess
of Cumberland, which Lady Anne was born in Skipton Castle in
Craven ye 30th of January (being a Friday) in the year 1590,
as ye year begins on New-year's-day. By a long-continued
descent from her father and his noble ancestors, she was
Barroness Clifford, Westmorland, and Vesey, High Sherifesse
of the county of Westmorland, and Lady of ye Honor of
Skipton in Craven aforesaid. She married for her first
husband Richard Sackville, Earl of Dorset; and for her
second husband, Philip Herberte, Earl of Pembroke and
Montgomery, leaving behind her only two daughters that
lived, which she had by her first husband; the eldest,
Margaret Countess of Thanet, and the younger Isabella
Countess of Northampton. Which Lady Anne Clifford Countess
Dowager of Pembroke, Dorset, and Montgomery, deceased at her
Castle of Brougham. ye 22nd day of March, in ye year of our
Lord 1675, Christianly, willingly, and quietly, having
before her death seen a plentiful issue by her two daughters
of thirteen grandchildren; and her body lies buried in this
vaulte.'
Yours, &c. AN OBSERVER.
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