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extending north of them. Lancaster also appeared very conspicuous
and fine; for its most distinguished features, the castle and
church, mounted on a green eminence, were all that could be seen.
Woe is me! when I got thither, it was the second day of the fair,
the inn, in the principal street, was a great old gloomy house,
full of people; but I found tolerable quarters, and even slept
two nights in peace.
In a fine afternoon I ascended the castle-hill; it takes up the
higher top of the eminence on which it stands, and is irregularly
round, encompassed with a deep moat; in front, towards the town,
is a magnificent gothic gateway, lofty and huge; the overhanging
battlements are supported by a triple range of corbels, the
intervals pierced through, and showing the day from above. On its
top rise light watch towers of small height. It opens below with
a grand pointed arch; over this is a wrought tabernacle,
doubtless once containing its founder's figure; on one side a
shield of France semi-quartered with England; on the other the
same, with a label, ermine, for John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
This opens to a court within, which I did not much care to enter,
being the county gaol, and full of prisoners, both criminals and
debtors. From this gateway the walls continue and join it to a
vast square tower of great height, the lower part at least of
remote antiquity; for it has small round-headed lights, with
plain short pillars on each side of them: there is a third tower,
also square, and of less dimensions. This is all the castle. Near
it, and but a little lower, stands the church, a large and plain
gothic fabric, the high square tower at the west end has been
re-built of late years, but nearly in the same style; there are
no ornaments or arms, &c. any were (sic) to be seen; within it is
lightsome and spacious, but not one monument of antiquity, or
piece of painted glass is left. From the church-yard there is an
extensive sea-view, (for now the tide had almost covered the
sands, and filled the river) and besides the greatest part of
Furness, I could distinguish Peel-
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