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Pl. XX

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or strong and dark apartment, for the reception of malefactors and prisoners, whence the name of dungeon has frequently been applied to this part of the Norman castles. There is a rich and extensive prospect from the top of this building, which will reward the curious for the labour of ascending it.

Within the area of the base court were situated all the wards and offices for the baron and his family, the constable of the castle, the seneschal, the chamberlain, the serjeants, with guard-rooms for the soldiers; for the Norman barons imitated the form and splendour of the king's court, (so far at least as their revenues would permit), as to the number and quality of the officers of their household.

The Castle Gateway, a view of which has already been given, Pl. IX. p. 135. was built at two distinct and somewhat remote periods. The inner arch of this building is round, and appears to be of the same age as the keep of the castle above it. But although the arch is of the Saxon form, this circumstance does not prove that it was erected in the Saxon times, for it is well-known that in the earliest period of the Normans' possessing Britain, they were in the habit of building in the Saxon style, and that some years elapsed before they introduced, generally, into England, the Gothic arch. This portion, therefore, of the gateway was, in all probability, raised by the founder of the castle, William the first Earl of Warren. The outer, or more southern entrance, is undoubtedly of much more modern date; it exhibits the Norman or Gothic arch of the fourteenth century, and is in a much better state of preservation than the interior gateway. It was somewhat advanced before the wall of the castle, and was defended by two towers on its south front. It had also machicolations, and on the side next the castle were two portcullises. In corroboration of the opinion that the outer gate was built in the fourteenth century, it may be stated that in 1772, as some workmen were digging about the foundations of the gate-way, a French gold fforin1 (Pl. XX. fig. 8.) was found, bearing the inscription of s. JOHANNES B. and G. DPH. VIENS. which is, perhaps, to be read, Sanctus Johannes Baptista, and Guiges Delphinus Viensis. There were eight of the name of Guiges, Dauphins of Vienne, in France. This coin seems to have been of Guiges, the eighth and last of the name, who assumed the title in 1319, the 12th of Edward II., and died in 1333, the 7th of Edward III. If then, as is probable, the coin was deposited at the time of building the outer gateway, it fixes the date to the latter end of Edward II.'s reign, or the beginning of that of Edward III.; and as the last general reparation of the walls of the town took place in the seventh year

! The weight of the florin was 2 pennyweights and 4 grains.

of the reign of Edward III., the probability is, that this portion of the gateway was at that time built1.

The castle became the caput baronia of the Warren family, being the honorary part of the barony; the town was merely the plebeian, or inferior part. "It is evident, (says Mr. Madox in his Baronia Anglica,) that the constables, knights, and serjeants, which were in castles, as well those belonging to the king, as those belonging to the barons, did use in former ages to exercise a great superiority over the towns which were near them, and likewise the adjacent country. No wonder men who were covered with steel should domineer over burgesses and peasants; the armed over the unarmed: the former used to make captures upon the latter of hay, corn, beer, and other things, under divers denominations, to wit, of prise, tyne of castle, forage, &c. By custom these captures became familiar and even rightful. However, burgesses of towns and other folks were wont to complain of these captures, and sought the king for protection and freedom from them. Accordingly, in charters made to townsmen under the great seal, the king did sometimes grant to them, among other franchises, that they should be free from prise, tyne of castle, and such like captures."

There is no instance upon record of the burgesses of Lewes having been subjected to these oppressive burdens by any of the lords of the castle. Indeed so long as the Warren family resided here, their conduct was that of protectors, rather than pillagers of the people.

The Castle seems to have been entirely neglected by the Lords of Lewes, after the death of the eighth Earl Warren, and in the year 1440, when a partition of the barony was made between John, Duke of Norfolk, Edmund Lenthall, and Edward Neville, Lord Abergavenny, the castle was accounted as nothing in their respective shares. In the year 1774 the scite and ruins were leased by the lords of the barony to Mr. Thomas Friend for ninety-nine years, who dying without issue, devised it by will to his nephew, Mr. Thomas Kemp, through whom it has come into the possession of the present lessee, Thomas Read Kemp, Esq., of Dale Park.

The keep of the castle has been repaired by the present proprietor, and the plot of ground on the summit of the mount neatly laid out and planted.

Within this southern gateway is a flight of steps leading to a room over the arch, which has for some time been occupied as a lodge for the Free-masons. This apartment has been recently fitted up with a splendour befitting the Eleusinian occupations of the masonic body.

The insolence and oppression of many of the barons, soon after the conquest, grew to such a pitch, that according to William of Newberry,

there were in England as many kings, or rather tyrants, as lords of castles. And Matthew Paris styles them " very nests of devils, and dens of thieves."-Grose's Antiquities, pref. v. 1.

The rage for building castles greatly prevailed during the turbulent reign of Stephen, so that in the short space of nineteen years not fewer than 1115 castles were built.

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Borough Seal'.

CHAPTER XV.

PAROCHIAL HISTORY OF THE BOROUGH.

Boundaries of the Borough.-Streets in the time of Mr. Rowe.-Streets at the present time.-Ancient Churches now extinct.-Union of Parishes-Probable cause of.-St. Peter and St. Mary Westout, or St. Anne's Parish.-St. John's Parish.-St. Michael's Parish.-All Saints' Parish.

THE scite of the ancient fortifications of the borough was pointed out in a preceding chapter; but as the limits of the borough extended in most directions some distance beyond the ancient walls, it may not be amiss in as brief a manner as possible, to describe in this place the present boundaries, referring the reader to the plan of the town, for a more accurate idea of them than can be given in words.

Proceeding from the bridge northward, the boundary line extends up the centre of the river to the Tan-mill ditch, through a small portion of which it passes; then turning to the west by the tan-mill wheel, it proceeds up the same ditch to the horse-pond, a portion of which it cuts off, and enters Hartley's field at the gateway; crossing the field it runs in a south-west direction, including a garden formerly belonging to Mr. Lilly Burton. Intersecting the New- road it takes in the Hangman's-acre and passes along the south side of the Paddock, to the bottom of Ireland's-lane; proceeding up which, and crossing the turnpike road, it enters the chancel of St. Anne's Church, and runs in nearly a straight line to the road leading from Rotten-row; and thence forward, to a boundary mark in St. Pancras'The Borough Seal is of very considerable antiquity. It was probably invented by the Prior of Lewes in compliment to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, about the year 1398, when the said duke confirmed to the priory the foundation charter of William de Warren, second Lord of

Lewes Barony. The added canton contains the Mowbray arms, viz. Gules, a lion rampant, argent; and the semée cross crosslets argent, seem to have been added as a proper difference, denotive of the prior's obtaining the grant.

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