it escheated to the crown, and was, in the first year of
Edward IV. granted by that king to Sir William Hastings, in
consideration of his great services; he was also created a baron,
chamberlain of the household; captain of Calais, and knight of the
garter, and had license to make a park and cranellate, or fortify
several of his houses, amongst which was one at this place, which was of
great extent, strength, and importance, and where he and his descendants
resided for about two hundred years. It was situated on the south side
of the town, on a rising ground, and was chiefly composed of brick and
stone; the rooms were spacious and magnificent, attached to which was a
costly private chapel. The building had two lofty towers of immense
size, one of them containing a large hall, great chambers, bedchambers,
kitchen, cellars, and all other offices. The other was called the
kitchen tower. Parts of the wall of the hall, chapel, and kitchen, are
still remaining, which display a grand and interesting mass of ruins;
the mutilated walls being richly decorated with doorways,
chimney-pieces, windows, coats of arms, and other devices. In this,
castle, the unfortunate and persecuted Mary queen of Scots, who has
given celebrity to so many castles and old mansions, by her melancholy
imprisonment beneath their lofty turrets, was for some time confined,
while in the custody of the earl of Huntingdon.
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