After leaving the Quarry Walk, we passed an old tower
of red freestone, the only one remaining of those formerly standing at
intervals along the whole course of the town wall; and we also went along
what little is now left of the wall itself. And thence, through the
irregular streets, which gave no account of themselves, we found our way,
I know not how, back to our hotel. It is an uncheerful old hotel, which
takes upon itself to be in the best class of English country hotels, and
charges the best price; very dark in the lower apartments, pervaded with
a musty odor, but provided with a white-neckclothed waiter, who spares no
ceremony in serving the joints of mutton.
J----- and I afterwards walked forth again, and went this time to the
castle, which stands exactly above the railway station. A path, from its
breadth quite a street, leads up to the arched gateway; but we found a
board, giving notice that these are private grounds, and no strangers
admitted; so that we only passed through the gate a few steps, and looked
about us, and retired, on perceiving a man approaching us through the
trees and shrubbery. A private individual, it seems, has burrowed in
this old warlike den, and turned the keep, and any other available
apartment, into a modern dwelling, and laid out his pleasure-grounds
within the precincts of the castle wall, which allows verge enough for
the purpose. The ruins have been considerably repaired. This castle was
built at various times, the keep by Edward I.
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