Year: 1860

lIach lido AJoh -Notljns.


About The period when the civil wars be-
tween the Republican and Royalist parties in
England had terminated, after the execution
Of the unfortunate Charles l., in the utter de-
feat Of his son at the battle of Worcester, and
tic dispersion Of all the adhercnts to the Roy
al cause, a small caSteated mansion, not far
from the eastern coast of England, was gar
riSoucd 10y a partyOf the Parliamentary troops.


This mansion, which had belonged to a Roy
alist family who had ded the aad, having been
seized upon and couiscated by the Paramen-
tary commissioners employed in SequeStratiug
the property Of confirmed enemies of the coal-
mouweaIth, had been converted into a sort OF
fortress or stronghold the natural defences
and isolated position of which, rendered it pc
cuarly adapted as a place of confinement Tor
prisoners of war. Its situation, at the same
time, so near the coast, gave ii an additional
advantage as a post Of observation, whence
measures might be taken for the interrogation
of such ROyaliStS, who, prescribed as obSti-
nate maligulntS, might ne led to this part Of
the country in their attempts to seek the means
of escape


Flauked on one side by the waters OF the
river, this isolated house was cut of on the
other three by broad ditch or moat, being
thus entirely surrounded by water, except at
one point the most Remote from the river,
where it communicated bv q wooden bridge
with q cauSeway, lined by an avenue o. trees,
which served as an approach, and travCrSed at
some length q low level tract Of land before
it reached the higher and more billy country.
4 similar tract of level but Of a more marshy
aud swampy description, stretched along th c
opposite bank of the river terminating q t
some distance by line of low well-woOdcd
hills. Not far from the house, which stood
thus alone, like q solitary bjttern in a Dutch
landscape, the river widencd suddenly into a
large expanse of water, called in this part of
England broad" which was itself only
separated from the sea by narrow strip of
low sand-bankS, and sandy downs or deaneS,
as they are there termed, and extended thus
along the shore to some distance, when again
assuming the form Of a river, it poured its wa
ters into the German Ocean.


OF the more ancient part of this mansion,
which boasted (it was never well known upon
what authority a Roman origin, only large
circular tower was left, which was attached
somewhat awkwardly, ike an ill-adjuSted head
piece, on 10 the more modern building. Al
though constructed in the comparatively peace
ful times Of Henry Wis reign, the more mod
ern house had been evidently built with some
ideas of strength and defence, and in a dem
castellated FORM various smaller additions have
been made to it at subsequent and different
periods, without any great observance of order
or style.


Behind the main body Of the house thus ir-
regularly constructed, was a species of small
inuercourt or garden, enclosed between the old
tower and the walls that connected it with the
mansion on one side, and wing of the build
ing which extended to the side of the stream
on the other whilst opposite to the back of
the house, which was now wholly unoccupied,
and almost in a runous state, strong and
thick parapet skirted the river, and completed
the paralleOgram. Formerly an opening IN
the centre Of this parapet had evidently con
Quoted by several steps to the waters edge, in
order to facilitate the communications with
boats On the river ;sbut it had now been
blocked up by fresh mass of heavy brick
work and masonry, as if for the purpose Of
adding security to the place and at the time
we write, two culyerins, mounted so as to be
on level with the top of the parapet. contri-
bnted to give to the spot the look of forti-
fed stronghold The forms of fower-beds of
prim shapes, the former decorations of the
spot, might still be traced here and there in