artificial hill, raised for this purpose on the river side; this Saxon princess, in the same year, also raised the mount of Tamworth, erecting a dungeon likewise upon it. Dugdale was possibly well satisfied with such ancient authority as furnished him with the above antiquarian facts so much in point. Thus we gather, that if the Romans were not the constructors of the bicepital mount of Lewes, that it accorded with the principles of fortification known to Alfred the Great; and the double mount, formed by the Saxons upon the central hill of the Roman encampment, may probably, when the Norman Conqueror acquired possession of this fortified town, and granted it to his captain, have become an object which William de Warren took great pleasure further to elevate, by separating completely the hitherto smaller elevations, by forming a regular Norman base-court, and transporting all the rubbish and earth which he removed in those operations, to the top of the mounts, and particularly to that destined for the New Keep. In this manner we arrive at the nature of Earl Warren's repairs, and account for the actual character of Lewes Castle, without detracting by any means from its greater antiquity.

The idea, that this hill was already well-fortified in the time of Athelstan, is supported by our knowledge that two mints were allowed by that

king at Lewes; whilst his own laws had settled, that money should be only coined in a town of strength and defence.

It is justly remarked, that Lewes Castle is principally disposed after the manner of a Norman fortress, rather than of a circular Saxon fortification; the keep may, therefore, have been an addition of Earl Warren's, and the local circumstances of this hill were very favourable to his adding that kind of Norman inner citadel to the then ancient walls and ramparts.

This very beautiful keep, erected upon the artificial elevation, proudly commands the basecourt, the gates, and the broad ditch, by which it was immediately encompassed. A great precipice flanked the north walls. The mount, raised at the west end of the base-court, is that which bears the present ruined keep; the similar mount at the east end of the court was calculated for a fort of equal strength, and the foundations of some very ancient buildings can be traced.

The mounts of Lewes Castle are separated at a distance of 800 feet, reckoning from about the centre of each; the above forms the length of the castle court, which was about 400 feet wide.

The figure of this castle assisted to give it great strength. It was of an irregular oblong, or rather oval shape, running nearly north-east and southwest. The mounts were raised at either extremity

The

of its diameter; they were environed by great ditches, from which the lofty walls, in a direction from north to south, ascended the two hills. walls, constructed of chalk and flint-stone, were defended by outer ramparts and ditches, and by a broad glacis of considerable height, which comprised the slope betwixt the walls themselves, and the out-works. About a fourth of each artificial mount was contained within the castle; its walls, running up the mount, enclosed an arc or segment of the hill, next to the keep. It was within these mural defences, that the warlike lords of Lewes had their princely residence. One half of the fortress, on the western mount, forms the subject of this plate. The real height is much diminished, the view being taken from the garden of Mr. Windhurst; and a wall intercepts a part of the hill, which wall is seen along the front of the drawing. To the left are seen the lower walls of the castle, and St. John's church sub Castro.

PLATE LXIX.

The Gate-House, Lewes Castle.

A SOUTH view is here given of the double gateway which led into Lewes castle: the inner arch is

apparently of Saxon architecture, and is probably of the same date as the keep above it; the outer arch, which is decidedly Norman, partially supports the remains of a square tower, in which were rooms for the use of the garrison, and attached to which were round turrets at three of its angles. This tower, which was yielding to the hand of time, has been strengthened by long iron bars, seen depicted on the battlements. Part of it is built in squares of stone and flint, running diagonally; and the general style of its architecture denotes its antiquity. The gate-way is substantially built of flint; the groins, copings, and window cases, are of stone. The loop-hole, to the right, was calculated for the shooting of arrows. The red building, on the left, is a modern-built chapel, and the green gates form the present entrance to the steps leading to the keep.

Shortly after the Conquest, the town and rape of Lewes were bestowed by William on his son-inlaw, William de Warren, who had espoused the princess Gundrad. He divided them into sixtytwo knight's fees, many of which he presented to his Norman followers, reserving the town and castle to himself. He was Earl Warren in Normandy, and William Rufus created him Earl of Surrey he died in 1088. In this family they continued till the reign of Henry the Third, when the estates of John de Warren were escheated to

the crown; whereupon, this manor, with some other lordships, was given to Peter de Savoy, the queen's uncle. The Warrens, however, regained possession of this family domain by the allegiance of John, the immediate successor of the late earl, who warmly espoused the interests of the king.

In the ninth year of the reign of Edward the Second, John, Earl of Warren, having been excommunicated by the Bishop of Chichester, was imprisoned for threatening the life of that prelate. The same year, by a special grant, dated at Westminster, he gave to the king and his heirs the inheritance of all his lands, including the town and castle of Lewes; of the latter, however, with some other lands, he regained possession. In the 19th of Edward the Second, this castle and town were restored to John de Warren.

His honours and estates devolved on his sister Alice, by whose intermarriage with Edmund FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, they were carried into that family. Earl Richard, son and successor of Edmund Fitz-Alan, and Alice de Warren, having forfeited this manor to King Richard the Second, it was bestowed by that monarch on Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham, whom he created Duke of Norfolk.

In the 22nd of Richard the Second, the lordship of Lewes was granted to John, Duke of Exeter, to hold to his heirs male, in capite, as