The Monte Vista journal., 1897-06-05

barons and rulers of the adjacent king
doms. 1t was not only the custom but
necessity as we'll, In those romantic
and harbarous middle ages. that the
castles of noblemen should be more
like forts than dwelling places. says
the New York Herald. The discovery
just made in this ancient city Of Ian
drecies il 4 very interesting one. 1t
has led to the unearthing Of dungeons
and strongholds dating back to the
ninth. eleventh and twelfth centuries,
and as the history Of the people who
lived in the days Of tournaments and
chivalry has fascination and attrac-
tion for the majority Of the people. .
brief description Of the present discov-
cry will doubtless be read with, pleas
ure by many. Since the passage OF the
bill depriving Landrecies Of its long
enjoyed privileges Of a fortified town
public opinion has been very much ex-
cited. for 1t is appreciated that the
Notifications Of the greater part Of the
Chevalier du Vile and the Marechal du
Vauban will disappear entirely, as
well as the Porte de France" which
10 original in itself and that there will
unfortunately not remain In this old
city. SO often besieged. burned and de-
stroyed. single trace. single mon
ument. which will recall Its origin aud
the many interesting phases Of its his
tory. This Wholesale demolition u q
great mistake. During the process Of
dtsmantling one OF the bastions the
very important ruins OF 4 dungeon
built In the twelfth century by Mich
olas. called le Beau. were uncovered.
NICHOLAS lie Beau was "Seigneur
d'Avesnes a Ia Lisere de la Foret de
Normal" on the borders Of the Sam
brs. And 1t was to the construction
OF this very castle fortress that Lam
drccies principally owes its origin and
Its Importance. In fact. IS Landrecies
IL mentioned at all In history prior
to this date It Is only casually, for 1t
was not until this castle was built
that the Inhabitants OF the "terre de
Landrecies" settled around 1t, thus
forming the city OF the same name.
Jean Froissart tells us In his "Chron-
icles" u34O) that after the tragical
death Of Sire de Poselle. governor OF
the city. the Sire de Floyon was for
long time guardian of the city and
chastel Of Landrecies'" several let
tiers mentioned the importance Of Lam
drecies at that period. Among them
may be mentioned. first, that In which
Jean de Blois gives certain powers to
Allard de Barbancon. This dungeon
Is built entirely Of sandstone and is
nineteen meters long and fourteen and
one-half wide. Its walls In many
places are more than three meters in
thickness. II forms large rectangu-
lar room. 120 meters square into which
access was gained by small door
cut In one angle OF the room.
This door Is hidden and pro-
tected by two strong pilasters. They
are one meter and seventy centimeters
high and about one meter and ten CEN
timetsfs thick. The dungeon In In a
stats Of perfect preservation. with Its
grooves. Its portcullis. Its drawbridgc
and other means then In use for bar.
Reading the castle against attack. The
vault Of the dungeon. OF which one
part 10 In very good condition. is al
10 built Of sandstone and consists of
. single arch about eighty centimeters
thick At Its keystone. The upper part
OF This vault forms = platform, which
must have been the floor Of very high
room. for this dungeon. which to-day
10 reduced to about hve meters in
height. In consequence Of having been
ieveled for some certain purpose. must
certainly have been much hisher.
judging by the thickness Of the walls
and the counter-fort. the ruins of
which are still seen on Its cIrcumfer-
ence. Besides. = little below the yauI,
there seems to have been In the thick.
ness Of the wall . secret corridor start.
Ing from one Of the angles Of the build.
Ing. and which must have been used
~ means Of Communication between
the upper room and the vault. and
also traces Of an exterior staircase
which has since been destroyed. In
lSlS Francois l.. when he fortified the
town Of Landreeies. utilized this solId
fortress q . soundation for one Of his
bastiens. and Il was given the same
oe the "Bastioa du Chateau" Il was
Aoubelsss q this time that the dun.
gsoa wss mutiiated and put In the
ooeditjos II which Il has Just been
discovered. In tact. Messirs Martin du
Dsiiay. ssisnsur Dc LAnGey. the iieu-
tsaaat oe the king. tells 10 In his
"MsaAoirs" dS+I. aftsr speaking Of
Tie ooastruction at Iandrecies Of
''trois gros coulisvsrts." that for the
fourth 'eoulisvsrt' We found an old
tufrstsd chateau which was aiisd IN
With sasth and upon which va built
our hastSoe." All this points to the
fact that tAs discoveries stili to bs
made IN the asishboshood will prove
most Interesting. A little distance
away stands . tower In sandstone,
Which ID very. vsfy old. and its walls
ass pierced at regular Intervals with
aaffsw. long sits. svi1sstiy intsndsd
eoe tls uss oe the srchsra The foun.
lseiaes q several other tovsss have
jHst bssa discovered. The prsssaee Of
tAis eoeti1sA chateau shows the IL.
Deetast Dast Il must have played IL
Deetsstias he old highway which
Wi11o beaow Il nd which 10 called the
sOA10lA - Da0e Marguerite"
ness - nssiss1 sssg.