File:The history of the castle, town and forest of Knaresbrough, with Harrogate, and it's medicinal springs (1809) (14743166106).jpg

Identifier: historyofcastle00harg (find matches)
Title: The history of the castle, town and forest of Knaresbrough, with Harrogate, and it's medicinal springs
Year: 1809 (1800s)
Authors: Hargrove, Ely, 1741-1818
Subjects:
Publisher: Knaresbrough Printed by Hargrove
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
LELAND observes, that " the manor-house at Spof-
ford, was sore defaced, in the time of the civile warrs,
betwixt Henry the sixth, and Edward the fourth; by
the earl of Warwick, and marquis of Montacute"
THE heir of this great family, being in his mino-
rity when his father was slain, was committed to the
tower of London, till the 27 th of October, 1469;

when he was brought before the king, at Westminster,
and took the oath of allegiance; whereupon, he was
soon after restored to the estates and dignities of his
ancestors: He was unfortunately murdered, by a
mob, at his house, near Topcliffe, in Yorkshire, 1489.

AFTER having lain in ruins some time, we find this
house was again made tenable; for, in the year 1559,
Henry, lord Percy, obtained a licence to fortify his
houses, at Spofford and Leckenfield. It is most pro-
bable, this mansion was demolished in the civil wars of
Charles I.; as Sampson Ingilby, esq., steward to the
duke of Northumberland, resided here, about the
year l600. The present ruins extend 45 yards, from north
to south; and 16, from east to west. The situation is

Text Appearing After Image:

SPOFFORD. 295

on a sloping bank, ending on a low wall of rock, with-
in the castle, affording convenience for lower apart-
ments.

THE hall, which has been a most magnificent room,
is 75 feet in length, and 36 in breadth; the windows
are arched, like those of cathedral churches. It seems
to have been built about the time of Edward III.,
when the idea of the castle, began to give way to that
of the palace.

HERE, no doubt, have often been repeated, those
scenes of festivity so frequent in our ancient baronial
castles, and described in the following lines:

" Lord Percy made a solemn feast,
In Spofford's princely hall;
And there came lords, and there came knights,
His chiefs and barons, all.

With wassail, mirth, and revelry,
The castle rung around:
Lord Percy call'd for song, and harp.
And pipes of martial sound.

The minstrels of that noble house,
All clad in robes of blue,
With silver crescents on their arms,
Attend, in order due.

The great achievements of that Tace,
They sung their high command;
How valiant Manfred ,* o'er the seas,
First led his northern band.

* Manfred de Percy, the first of this family, we have an account of.
He was a nobleman, of danish extraction ; a great chieftain, who made
irruptions into France, before Rollo, the dane, anno 886.

Note About Images