the highest in the city. The church is a pleasing structure of considerable antiquity.

All Saints, in North Street, has also a fine spire. Its style is a mixture of decorated and perpendicular. The interior is interesting.

St. Helen, Stonegate, has an elegant octagonal lantern tower over its west front. In the interior is a curious Norman font.

Holy Trinity, Micklegate. This ancient church is supposed to have been built out of the ruins of Trinity Priory. It is of a mixed style. John Burton, M.D., author of "Monasticon Eboracense," is buried in this church.

Our space does not allow of other churches being mentioned. There are numerous dissenting chapels.

YORK CASTLE, now become a gaol for debtors and malefactors, was once a noble and important fortress. Its walls inclose an area of four acres, and the castle-yard will contain 40,000 persons. As may be seen from our sketch of the history of the city, York Castle frequently was the scene of important events in former times. A fortress existed here long before the Conquest indeed, the Britons seem to have had a fortified mound here before the Roman invasion. The fortress, of which some parts still remain, was built by William the Conqueror in 1068. It is probable that he found a Roman fortification on the spot, and replaced it with one more suited to his purpose. The only portion of the old castle of any consequence now remaining, is

CLIFFORD'S TOWER, so called from one of the first governors. This tower is situated on a high artificial mound, and forms a picturesque and prominent object. It was the keep or donjon of the castle, and, with the rest of the fortification, seems to have been of great strength. In 1190, this tower was the scene of the self-immolation of upwards of 1500 Jews, who, in order to disappoint a blood-thirsty mob of citizens, destroyed themselves and their property by setting fire to the tower. When York surrendered to the parliamentarians in 1644, the city was dismantled of all its garrisons except that of Clifford's Tower. In 1684, either by accident or design, the tower took fire, and the powder magazine blew up, reducing it to a mere shell, in which condition it has remained ever since. A strong wall has been erected round the mound, to preserve this interesting relic as much as possible from further decay.

The walls of the tower are from nine to ten feet thick. Its plan consists of four segments of circles joined, the largest

diameter being 64 feet, and the shortest 45. The entrance is through a square building, which was added to strengthen it in 1642. Over the entrance are the arms of the Cliffords. The interior of the tower is picturesquely clad with ivy and other creepers. In the centre of the area grows a large walnut tree. An apartment evidently constructed for a chapel still exists. It has an arcade of early English arches surrounding its walls. The summit of the tower may be reached by a staircase, and an extensive view obtained of the surrounding country.

The other parts of the old castle were turned into a county prison shortly after they ceased to be occupied by a garrison. Falling into decay, they were pulled down in 1708, and the Old Buildings, now used as the Debtors' Prison, erected in their place. York Castle also includes the County Assize Courts, erected in 1777, and the Felons' Prison, erected in 1826. A magistrate's order is necessary for admission to view the prison.

York Castle has various interesting memories associated with it as a prison. Here, in 1604, Walter Calverley, of Calverley Hall, the hero of the "Yorkshire Tragedy," was tried and executed. Here, in 1746, many unfortunate Jacobites were tried, and expiated with their lives their devotion to Prince Charlie. Here, too, in 1759, Eugene Aram, the murderer whose name and story have been rendered immortal on the pages of romance and poetry, made his wonderful defence -a defence which, though it could not save him from justice, elevated him in his death above the vulgar crowd of criminals.

Howard the philanthropist visited York Castle in 1787, and declared, after an examination of it, that it was the best regulated prison he had seen. Smollett has left a similar testimony in "Humphrey Clinker."

In 1795 and 1796, James Montgomery, the poet, was confined here for newspaper articles which the government of the day regarded as libels. Here he composed his “ Prison Amusements."

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. These are numerous, but not generally of much interest. The Guildhall should not be overlooked. It was erected in 1446, in connection with the Guild of St. Christopher, afterwards strengthened by the accession of the Guild of St. George. It was granted to the municipal authorities of the city on the dissolution of the religious houses. The Hall is a grand old room, 96 feet long, 43 broad, and 29 high. It is in the perpendicular style, and

is divided into a nave and aisles by two rows of octagonal oak pillars on stone bases, their capitals grotesquely carved. Some of the windows are filled with stained glass. The room contains a large painting by Richard Manders, of "Paul before Agrippa," a large bell captured at the storming of Rangoon, and one or two other objects of interest.

The Mansion House is situated in front of the Guildhall. It was erected in 1725, after a design by the Earl of Burlington. The Assembly Rooms, in Blake Street, built in 1730, were designed by the same nobleman. There are numerous hospitals and charities, schools, a theatre, etc.

CITY WALLS AND BARS. The city walls existed before the time of Henry III., but the exact date of their foundation is unknown. They suffered much in the siege of 1644, but were repaired between twenty and thirty years after. In 1831, having fallen into great decay, their repair was commenced by public subscription, and carried on with considerable vigour. Large portions of these walls still remain in excellent preservation. The most complete and important part of the walls is that which lies to the west of the Ouse. It completely encompasses the city on this side, and forms a promenade, from which fine views of the Minster, Clifford's Tower, and other prominent buildings, may be obtained. Situated midway in this portion of the wall is

MICKLEGATE BAR, forming the great southern entrance to the city. This gateway is of great antiquity, and has even been attributed by Drake and Lord Burlington to the Romans-a point, however, on which they have been conclusively shewn to be mistaken. It seems to be generally agreed now that it is a Norman work. Previous to the destruction of its barbican, or outwork, the appearance of this bar must have been still more imposing than it is at present. It consists of a square tower built over a circular arch, with embattled turrets at the angles, each turret having a stone figure in a menacing attitude on the top. Above the gateway are the arms of Sir John Lister Kaye, Lord Mayor of York in 1737, with the inscription beneath, "Renovata A. D. MDCCXXXVII." Higher up are the royal arms (old France and England, quarterly), between those of the city of York. Over each shield there is a small Gothic canopy. On the inner side of the bar are the royal arms again. It was on this gate that the heads of persons regarded as traitors were formerly ex

posed. Here, as elsewhere related,* the head of Richard Plantagenet was placed in 1460, along with those of other Yorkists, to be replaced the following year by the heads of the Earls of Devonshire and Wiltshire, and other leading men of the Lancastrian party. The last occasion on which human heads were exposed on this gate was in 1746, after the Jacobite rebellion.

The oldest portion of the wall is that extending from Walmgate Bar easterly to the Red Tower, a curious old brick building, not much noticed. The wall is built on a series of rude and irregular arches, evidently of very great antiquity. On the portion of the wall extending westward from Walmgate Bar, there is an agreeable public promenade.

WALMGATE BAR is the only one which retains its barbican, and it is therefore a very interesting relic of antiquity. Walmgate is supposed to be a corruption from Watlingate; which is very probable, as the Watling Street of the Romans