The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-23 00:00:00

lIALTON CASTLE.

The Castle Inn, through which alone the visitor can ar-
rive at the ruins of the ancient edifice, is itself known by the
appellation of Halton Castle, and is situated close to the
principal portion of the ruins, facing the avenue leading from
the village, and on the south side of the table laud or somewhat
circular area on the top of the hill, formerly occupied by the
fortress. It is a comparatively modern and plain building,
of two stories, with square projecting wings, in which are
' some of the principal rooms. The landlord is Mr. Bolton,
an intelligent man of 68 years of age. The worthy hostess
(who is highly spoken of as a most. charitable person) is an
old lady of 78. She has lived here in the same capacity for
44 years, and still moves about attending to the domestic ar-
rangements of the house with the activity of a young women
of twenty. As the inn stands on the site of a portion of the
castle, and a baronial court and court leet are still held within
its walls, it may be proper, before noticing it further, to fur-
nish some historical reminiscenes of the original edifice itself.
The precise date of the foundation of Halton Castle is not
known, all existing records on this point being defective ;
but it is supposed to have been erected soon after the Con-
quest. Although it was a strong military post, but little of
historical event connected with it has been handed down to
posterity. Tradition states that it was, at a very early pe-
riod, much infested by gangs of robbers, who here secured
themselves after their marauding excursions in the plains be-
low. It is stated, indeed, that in the reign of Edward 11.
these freebooters became so bold as to steal the armour and
accoutrements from the Castle itself. It was a favourite
place of recreation (we also learn from Fowler's Historical
Account of Runcorn, &c.) with the celebrated John of
Gaunt, who therein showed his good taste. In the reign of
Elizabeth it was converted into a prison for popish recusants.
Here, in 1536, the abbot of Norton priory, and three of the
canons, were immured by Sir Piers Dutton,tton, sheriff of
Cheshire, for opposing the king's commissioners. During
the civil wars it fell occasionally into the hands of both par-
ties, and in 1644 the parliament forces held possession. It
subsequently became a prison for debtors, and eventually
fell into its present ruinous condition. A survey was made
of it in the time of Cromwell, at which time it had fallen into
dilapidation. It was then described as consisting of " a gate-
house, with five rooms over ; a great hall, with two ranges of
buildings over it containing nine rooms, and a prison for the
Honour of Halton. At this time Colonel Henry Brooke was
the steward." It. is now, and has for years been (like the
castles in Wales) the property of the Crown, but is held, by
royal tenure, by the Marquis of Cholmondeley, a homely
gentlemen, who domiciled here for two days, about three
years ago, with the marchioness.
The landlord of the inn has an old print of the castle, as
seen from the ground in front some hundred and odd years
ago. It represents little more than the entrance-gate, and
two adjoining and loftier buildings, of angular form, in a
state of ruin,—the whole being what is termed the gate-
house, on the site of which the inn is built. There was a
portcullis, and a drawbridge over the fosse, which last pro-
bably at one time encircled the whole castle. At the
bottom of this print, on one side, is engraved :—" De-
dicated to the most noble, John, Duke of Rutland,
Marquis of Ganby, &c. &e. &c., this prospect is hum-
bly incribed, by S. and W. Buck." On the other side
is the following historical notice :—" This Castle was built
by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, who gave it, wth ye
Barony, to Nigel, a Norman, on condition that he would be
Constable of Chester. From his posterity it came to ye
Crown, and is a considerable Member of ye Duchy of Lan-
caster, which maintains a large Jurisdiction in ye Country
round it, by ye name of Halton Fee, the Hr of Halton having
a Court of Record, Prison, and many other privileges within
themselves." There was here also some years ago an inte-
resting print of the whole village and castle, taken from an
original painting in 1656, but it is now lost.
Here there are still held four Courts a year, namely, three
Courts Baron, in April, September, and December, and one
Court Leet, held in October. I need scarcely add, that, in
a spot so comparatively secluded the prison is no longer
used ; but that ancient instrument of terror to evil doers in
remote villages—the stocks, is still extant, opposite to the
Public Library before noticed. The present Court Room (in
the inn) is about thirty feet in length, and has an outside
stone stair entrance, with railings, from the front of the
house. Over the chimney-piece is the following inscription,
on an antiquely carved stone, resembling a mural monu-
ment:—

``iih Dec., 1737.—At a Court of Revenue held for the
Duchy of Lancaster, before the Rt. Honble George Earl of
Cholmondeley, Chancellor of ye same Court, it was ordered
by them that 500 lb. be forthwith raised and paid for the re-
building this Court House, Gaol, and Court Yard.
" Commissioners to survey the same.—J. S. Cotton, J.
Lee, N. Legh, R. Leicester, P. Davenport, and W. Tongue,
Esqrs.
"The Honble. James Cholmondeley, Lord of the Manor.
" J. Pickering, Esq., Steward; Wm. Middleton, Deputy."
On the chimney-piece below is added :
"H. Sefton, J. Orme, Undertakers.-10th Nov., 1738,
finished."

There are several good rooms at the inn, and I here found
a number of respectable tradesmen from Manchester, who
had come to spend a few days at the Castle, in place of ex-
posing themselves to the allurements of expense at the races
on Kersal Moor.

fewveineiWineFnltceosMiliT
thel
north of
a more extensive series of delightful
and undulated country, There are
views
eEsunglbaendobwteheinnecde
ev.innaStuitrusalityedvairiiiedthsen
dmriedmd laenot fi
ea, rich
than from Halton Castl
of agriculture and commercge been.. enhanced by the appliances
to the eye in wood and water,
presents all that is gratifying
the beauties of which having
hill and vale, mansion and
cottage, peaceful hamlet and 'dis n thriving town. A fine
tbhoewwlihngel-egraereenaiwsiftohrimn etdhebwehailnlsdocetilnen, and occupies nearly
fortress,ew i s aunnd.
le. from its margin, particularly on the east side,
vithe-panoramar
interrupted by the ruins, and forms a s
eien
ze tthueerre,
Leav-
ing the inn by an eastern door, the visit
a small plantation, and thence, by an arched passes through
doorway at
either end of a portion of the ruins, enters the bowling-
green. Recessed in this part of the dilapidated structure,
there is an alcove fronted by two arches, above
are various-sized window apertures in the broken wall. Here
on the plastered walls and roof, and on the seat and table,
are scratched or cut innumerable names of visiters, from
towns and places far and near, who have thus vainly sought
a transient reputation. Passing to the eastern margin of
the green, the view southward embraces the Overton hills,
Delamere forest, the country bordered on the valley of the
Weaver, including Sutton and Aston, Daresbury, and Preston
Brook. Further eastward is a tine wooded country, through
which (though not visible from this point) pssses the Grand
Junction Railway, and the Staffordshire canal. In the back-
ground rise the remoter hills of Cheshire, Alderley Edge
being conspicuous, and farther on, but apparently blended
with them, the loftier mountains of Derbyshire. North
eastward stands Norton Priory, the seat of Sir B. Brooks,

PRIESTS ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR CONVERTS.—A respect-
able correspondent in this neighbourhood has declared his
readiness to restore a girl of the Protestant faith to her eye-
sight if her whole family go to mass. The eye is entirely
destroyed, and attempt at cure would not be entered upon
by the able and attentive surgeon, G. A. Nixon, Esq.—
Another priest recently made his way into the county pri-
son to render sane a lunatic ; but his success was something
more than equivocal, for he next day knocked down his
keepers.—Fermanagh Reporter.
SUNDAY DINNERS.—We have been strong, but, we hope,
consistent advocates for preserving the sanctity of the Sab-
bath-day ; and while enforcing the necessity of public-houses
being closed, and Sabbath trading discouraged, have always
pointedly condemned the pernicious practice which prevails,
in what is termed high life, of giving " Sunday dinners."
Each of the great political parties in the State are equally
chargeable with this wanton and unnecessary desecration of
a day which was hallowed at the creation of the world by the
Deity himself. The mechanic or tradesman, who passes six
days in the week in incessant toil, may urge with a show of
plausibility that to him the Sabbath should be reserved for
recreation and enjoyment; but what excuse can possibly
avail the leaders of fashion or Ministers of State, for picking
out the seventh day whereon to give their sumptuous banquets,
and feast their friends and retainers ? Do they once consider
the evil effects of this practice, or reflect how many thousands
will justify a habitual disregard of the holiness of this day
by their example? If they have lost all feeling in this mat-
ter themselves, let them at least respect the sentiments of
the nation, and listen to the dictates policy or shame.—
Britannia.

MONDAY, JUNE 22.—Wind W.N.W.
ARRIVED.—Thomas Bennett, Halsey, (sailed 28th May) and
United Kingdom, Patterson, from Charleston—Ville de Paris, Trott,
from New Orleans—Oronucto, Gillies, and John Bentley, —,
from Savannah—Palestrina, Vianello, from Trieste—Christina,
Barry, and Neptanus, Paeplon, from Dundalk—and Mary, Jackson,
from Dublin,

New York Packet, Doming, hence to New York, was spoken
13th instant, in lat. 51, long. 24
. _ . _ _

Isabella, Thorns, from Pictou, N.S. at the Clyde; sailed Ist June,
at which date no accounts had reached there of the arrival of the
Unicorn, (steamer) at Halifax
New York, Barstow, hence to New York, was spoken 18th June,
in long. 30 30
Mysore, Ward, hence to Sincapore, and Indian, -, from
Llanelly to Bombay, were spoken 12th June, in lat. 46, long. S
Auriga. -, from Hobart Town, at Pernambuco, 11th May,
in 64 days
Pearl, Carrick, from Guayaquil for Liverpool, at Cadiz; sailed
loth June