is seen a perspective of the choir and of distant arches, remains of the nave of the Abbey, closed by the woods. This perspective of the ruin is said to be 287 feet in length; the choir part of it is in width only thirty-eight feet inside, but the nave is seventy; the walls, as they now stand, are fifty-four feet high, and in thickness five. Southward from the choir extend the still beautiful, though broken, pillars and arcades of some chapels, now laid open to the day; the chapter-house, the cloisters, and beyond all, and detached from all, is the school-house, a large building, the only part of the monastery that still boasts a roof.

"Of a quadrangular court on the west side of the church, 334 feet long, and 102 feet wide, little vestige now appears, except the foundation of a range of cloisters, that formed its western boundary, and under the shade of which the monks, on days of high solemnity, passed in their customary procession round the court. What was the belfry is now a huge mass of detached ruin, picturesque from the loftiness of its shattered arches, and the high inequalities of the ground within them, where the tower, that once crowned this building, having fallen, lies in vast fragments, now covered with earth and grass, and no longer distinguishable but by the hillock they form. The school-house, a heavy structure attached to the boundary wall on the south, is nearly entire, and the walls, particularly of the portal, are of enormous thickness, but, here and there, a chasm discloses the staircases, that wind within them to chambers above.

"These are the principal features that remain of this once magnificent Abbey. It was dedicated to St. Mary, and received a colony of monks from the monastery of Savigny, in Normandy, who were called Grey Monks, from their dress of that colour, till they became Cistercians, and, with the severe rules of St. Bernard, adopted a white habit, which they retained till the dissolution of monastic orders in England.

"The deep forests, that once surrounded the Abbey, and overspread all Furness, contributed with its insulated situation, on a neck of land running out into the sea, to secure it from the depredations of the Scots, who were continually committing hostilities

on the borders. On a summit over the Abbey are the remains of a beacon, or watch-tower, raised by the society for their further security. It commands extensive views over Low Furness, and the bay of the sea immediately beneath; looking forward to the town and castle of Lancaster, appearing faintly on the opposite coast; on the south, to the isles of Walney, Foulney, and their numerous islets, on one of which stands Peel-castle; and on the north, to the mountains of High-Furness and Coniston, rising in a grand amphitheatre round this inlet of the Irish Channel.

The sum total of all rents belonging to the Abbey immediately before the dissolution was 9461. 2s. 10d. collected from Lancashire, Cumberland, and even from the Isle of Man; a sum which, considering the value of money at that period, and the woods, meadows, pastures, and fisheries, retained by the society in. their own hands-the quantity of provisions for domestic use brought by the tenants instead of rent, and the shares of mines, mills, and salt-works, which belonged to the Abbey-swells its former riches to an enormous amount *."

From the first establishment of this Abbey, till the period of its dissolution, the Abbot was invested with many privileges, and exercised a commanding superiority over the whole district. Even the military establishment depended on him, and every mesne lord, and free homager, as well as the customary tenants, bound themselves to him by an oath of feality. Every occupier of a whole tenement furnished a man and horse for guarding the coasts; for the border service; or for any expedition against the common enemy of the king and kingdom. Thus the peculiar situation of this Abbey, and power of the Abbot, gave to the former a warlike character, very incompatible with the customs, and religious habits of the monks. In the calamitous contests between the houses of York and Lancaster, the Abbot supported the claims of the latter, and thereby obtained additional advantages to the Abbey from Henrys'

For a copious account of Furness Abbey, &c. I refer the reader to "The Antiquities of Furness," by Mr. West; a new edition of which," with additions," was published in 1305, by Mr. W. Close, of Dalton.

Henrys' the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. After the dissolution by Henry the Eighth, the Abbey lands were sold, and some of the purchasers took possession, and resided on their estates, which occasioned very considerable alterations in the district. In the civil wars between King Charles the First and his parliament, the malignity of party politics produced violence and bloodshed, even in this sequestered part of the kingdom; as is plainly exemplified in the following document:

"Thomas Park, of Millwood, high constable of Furness, his account of the troubles of Furness during the civil war. April 19, 1642, I received the oath of high constable, and was discharged of my office at the quarter sessions, held at Lancaster, April 27, 1647. The time I was high constable was five years and eight days. In the first year began the civil war between king and parliament; and before the end of the fifth year the parliament conquered, and cleared the whole kingdom of England and Wales; and there was never heard of such troublesome and distracted times as these five years have been, but especially for constables. May 21, 1643, being Holy-Thursday, there came an army into Furness this day of 1000 horse, and 500 foot; Lord Molineux, and Sir George Middleton, Sir John Girlington, Colonel Tildisley, Mr. Dalton, with divers others of the country, being chief commanders. Our countrymen thought to have kept them out, but their captains giving them over, and they seeing such a huge army on Conished Sands, were wished by the heads of Furness to shift for themselves. They had three nights billet, most part of our arms, and 5001. and plundered this place very sore, and then retreated. This army was for the king. September 28, 1643, Colonel Rigby continuing his siege at Thurland Castle, (which continued six weeks before agreement was made,) was let know,

that

* This monarch, in his adversity, obtained a safe asylum with Sir John Pennington, at Muncaster; and, at parting, presented the family with a favourite glass cup; " which," says Mr. West, "from the general opinion of the king's sanctity, and that with it be entailed a blessing on the family, was called 'the luck of Muncaster."

that Mr. Kirkby, Mr. Rigby, and Colonel Hudleston, were in commotion in Furness, and that they had gotten together 1500 horse and foot, many of them out of Cumberland; young Mr. Pennington being there with a company, and the rest of Furness: they were about 200 firemen, and the rest clubmen, and they kept their rendezvous at Dalton. Whereupon Colonel Rigby, at the earnest desire of divers of Furness, who fled thither, marched with seven or eight companies of foot, and three troops of horse, all firemen, except about twenty, who had pikes; they were all complete, and very stout fellows. I being prisoner at Hornby Castle at that time, and three weeks before, was appointed to go with the colonel; and the last of September they came to Ulverston, and rested there that night; and early the first of October, 1643, being Sunday, they set forward, and had prayers on Swartmoor; which being ended, they marched forward till they came to Lyndal, and there the foot halted, but the horse went on to Lyndal-Cotte, and drew up in a valley, facing, and shouting at Mr. Hudleston's horse, who were drawn up on the top of Lyndal Close, who did shout also in return; which lasted about an hour, while the foot were receiving powder, shot, and match; which being ended, the foot marched up to the horse; then the king's horse fled, whereupon they raised a great shout, and did pursue them very hotly; and took Colonel Hudleston prisoner, Mr Stanley, and Mr. Latus, Mr. Earton, with 300 common soldiers, or thereabouts. They took most part of their arms, six colours, two drums, and all the money and apparel the common soldiers had on, with a coup laden with magazine, drawn by six oxen. The common soldiers plundered Dalton, and the parish, and returned that night to Cartmel. There were three or four of the - king's men killed, and some hurt—”

GLEASTON-CASTLE.-The ruins of this ancient fortress are situated about two miles east of Furness Abbey; and at present display portions of three square towers, with some connecting walls. These encompass an area, or court yard, of 288 feet, by 168 and 132; at each corner of which were formerly fortified

towers.

towers. The walls are thick, and constructed with mud, pebbles, &c.; and faced with lime-stone, laid in lime mortar. This Castle appears to have been a sort of baronial mansion, belonging to the manor of Aldringham. At the beginning of the reign of Queen Mary, it was possessed by the Duke of Suffolk, who being beheaded, his estates were confiscated to the crown. At a short distance from the Castle is a copious running spring, which, Mr. West observes, "if confined to one bason, would at least equal that at Holywell, in Flintshire."

ALDRINGHAM-HALL, formerly the residence of the Fleming family, is entirely swept away, and the ancient and once extensive Village, of the same name, is now reduced to only two houses, with the church between them. Here are some ancient encampments; one formed in a square shape, and another circular, with a foss and bank between them. The sea has greatly encroached on the land at this place. Near

URSWICK are two other ancient fortifications, called StoneWalls. One is square, the other nearly circular; and both consisted of walls formed by stones piled up without mortar. Their foundations are very wide, and the circular area measures about 100 yards in diameter.

RAMPSIDE, a small village on the southern shore of Furness, is occasionally resorted to as a pleasant and convenient bathingplace. The sands abound with roots, and remains of trees, hazle wood, &c.; and as Camden conjectured many years back, it is extremely probable that the islands to the south and west have been separated from the main land, and formed by the gradual encroachment of the tides. The islands are eight in number; among which, that of WALNEY is the most considerable. This consists of a long bank, or ridge, running north and south parallel to the lower part of Furness. Mr. West says, that the whole island" lies upon a bed of moss; and all round the island, moss is found by digging through a layer of sand and clay, which covers it; and in the moss large trees have been taken up. The Abbots of Furness charged themselves with the support of several dykes for its defence; but since the suppression of the Abbey, the

sea