Historic%20Yorkshire

132
THE STORY OF PONTEFRACT CASTLE.
Clement's College also stood near the Gatehouse, and
between the Gatehouse and Constable's Tower was the
kitchen. Near St. Clement's Chapel,and deeply excavated
in the solid rock, and reachedby a lengthy flight of
steps, stood the magazine, between which and the
Barbican, with its entrance intersecting the passage to
the former, were situated the dungeons. These, by one
writer, are called "truly dismal places;" another says
they were of a "frightful nature." Upon the western
side, which was the weakest, in addition to the Barbican
with its great drawbridge, there were other gates with
drawbridges and turrets, which were used as watchtowers,
and a deep moat layon this side. Ofthe present
state of the Castle, it may be said that littleeven of its
ruins remain. Gardens now occupy the place where
formerly was nothing but the tread of armed heels, and
the rock which stood proudly impregnable for 600 years
the pride and terror of an immense district, is now
quarried for filtering-stones, known to all parts of the
country. But such a strongholdas our description shows
it to have been could not fail in the troubled times of
England's earlier history to have been the resort of the
Sovereigns, engaged in the task ofsubduing rebellion, or
meeting rivals. Many prisoners of eminentnote were at
various times kept or executed within its silent precincts.
We have mentioned the bestowing of Pontefract with
other possessions upon the Lacyfamily. They continued
in that family until 1310, when, male heirs failing, the
estates were left to a daughterof the house, Alice, who
was marriedto Thomas,Earl of Lancaster, who was the
uncle of Edward II. In the quarrels between that weak
prince and his nobles, the earl took a prominent part.
Together withmany other barons, he was taken prisoner
and conveyed to Pontefract Castle, then in the possession
of the Royalarmy, first imprisoned, and then tried byhis
mortal enemies, who condemned him to die. He was,
however, permitted to be beheaded, while his adherents
were hanged.