In
the midst of the whole Castle standeth a mount conteyneing one Acre on
which there is a spatious, ruyned, and old decayed building being nothing
but ruyned walls which in many places begin to fall downe. The said
building is commonly knowne by the name of the Moate. The Materialles of
the said Castle (which are there now remayneing), as the Timber hewen
stone and slate, wee estimate to bee worth in ready money (besides the
charge of takeing them downe)--CC li. The Ground lying within the walls
and Ditches of the Castle aforesaid conteyne in the whole three Acres and
three Roodes which is worth upon Improvem^t p. Ann.--C s."
[Transcriber's Note: The "CC li." and "C s." refer to 200 libra (pounds)
and 100 shillings respectively. Several previous transcribers were
confused by this, causing this note to be added.]
The story which has already been mentioned of the wanton destruction by
the Parliamentary soldiers of ancient documents that had been preserved in
the Castle may quite reasonably be true, but unfortunately Hinderwell, who
seems to have been the first to record the tale,[1] does not give any
authority for his statement. Another story which is sometimes mentioned
among the people of Pickering states that Parliamentary soldiers were
quartered in the church during the Civil War, but we can place no reliance
upon the legend. Some details of the raising of train bands in the
district are given in the memoirs of Sir Hugh Cholmley, the gallant
defender of Scarborough Castle.
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